Saturday Roughie Tips –August 22, 2026
Looking for the top value plays and Saturday roughies as we welcome back Group 1 racing this weekend? Ladbrokes are here with our best double-figure runners across the country to get the spring carnival off on the right foot!
As if you didn’t know, the elite levels are back in action with a cracking edition of the Winx Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and, while Autumn Glow is odds-on to resume victorious, there’s a nearly $20 stablemate lurking to add some oomph to the exotics.
We’ve focused on the Randwick Saturday race card with five Group races and five overlooked runners to help pump up your Same Race Multi selections.
Ladbrokes own Value Whisperer, Lucy Henderson, is pumped for the feature races and you should be too! Read on for her expert roughie selections and best bets below!
What are the Best Value Racing Tips for August 22?
- Randwick Race 5 – No. 10 Elliptical
- Randwick Race 6 – No. 8 Stardom
- Randwick Race 7 – No. 4 By Choice
- Randwick Race 8 – No. 10 Carbonados
- Randwick Race 9 – No. 12 Lady Shenandoah
Randwick Race 5 – Premier Value
No. 10 Elliptical
ELLIPTICAL (1) is drawn the inside in a small but classy Premier’s Cup field and Waller’s seven-year-old Dundeel gelding could be overs for a run in the money.
It’s been over three years since he landed first past the post, and that won’t change on the weekend, but there’s every chance this one-time Group 3 winner can capitalise on a close fourth in the Prelude to outrun his price.
Black-Type placed back on Australia Day, he’s rock hard fit now and was excellent running just a length back from Eliyass here at 25/1 in the aforementioned Prelude on August 8 over 1800m with 52kg.
Only rises a kilo so is right in this weight-wise, benefits from the booking of senior hoop Kerrin McEvoy, and I’m not too worried about the dismal 2000m record.
Yes, he’s not won over further than 1400m, but Waller knows how to place ‘em and I’m going to throw him in my exotics hoping to start the Group action on Winx Day off with a surprise.
| 10. Elliptical (1) 53kgx6954 |
Randwick Race 6 – Look Past the Stars
No. 8 Stardom
We’ve a superior field of female gallopers gathered for the Toy Show this year including top elects Apocalyptic and Savvy Hallie, but for value STARDOM (3),who also kicks off her spring, could sneak into the money at a price.
Hailing from the Waterhouse/Bott yard, the nicely bred daughter of Zoustar has won three from ten to date but nothing since her narrow Listed Crockett Stakes win a The Valley last Cox Plate Day.
Recently looked better than her subsequent flat spring performance in the Vanity posting back-to-back fourths in the Sunshine State when only 1.5 lengths off the talented Beadman at 40/1 in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas before another brave effort in a good Doomben race a fortnight later.
Two slick Rosehill trials have brought her on, including beating Cherry Bomshell (my pick to take out the next race on the card) in a Group 1000m hit out on August 7.
Improvement pending, has the speed to lead and can hang on for a podium finish.
| 8. Stardom (3) 53kgx944x |
Randwick Race 7 – Roughie By Choice
No. 4 By Choice
A stablemate to the narrow favourite Agrarian Girl, BY CHOICE (8) hasn’t drawn a dream for her first-up run in the Silver Shadow but I don’t think that rules out another trifecta finish for this smart – if not somewhat frustrating-for-connections – daughter of Written By.
She won here over 1100m on debut last December but has failed to get a second win on the CV since.
That said, she’s faced some stiff competition and finished without disgrace.
Third in the lucrative $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic only a length off Unit Five at the start of the year, she’s gone on to post two more third placings in good company.
A narrow margin back third at this track and trip to Spicy Miss in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace in late February and then did enough behind Pembrey in the Group 3 Magic Night at Rosehill to remain relevant to spring calculations.
Her two lead-up Rosehill trial runs have been very eye-catching, her hit-out hoop Rachel King takes the sit and can get her on pace with a decent shot to keep the placings going.
| 4. By Choice (7) 55kg5333x |
Randwick Race 8 – Show Me the Money
No. 10 Carbonados
CARBONADOS (9) is the lightweight in this year’s Show County Quality, well, in kilos anyway.
His top three chances are more than light in my opinion with the Lindsay Park-trained gelding coming off a confidence-boosting lead-up win at Rosehill.
As a $17 outsider after finishing dead last at Caulfield in late June, he atoned and beat home subsequent Spring Preview winner Althoff home by over a length in a BM94 over 1300m.
Proven at the track, he’ll enjoy a drop back to 1200m (7:3-1-0), the airborne Chad Schofield comes aboard and Soft conditions work in his favour.
Previous winning form at this stage of his prep, doesn’t map the best, but if he can land midfield with some cover a place wouldn’t surprise.
| 10. Carbonados (10)SCRATCHED: | |||
Randwick Race 9 – Winx and You’ll Miss Her
No. 12 Lady Shenandoah
LADY SHENANDOAH (2) is one of eight Waller-trained Winx Stakes contenders and, while I don’t think she’ll knock off her odds-on stablemate, I do see her as a huge value chance for exotics.
This consistent Snitzel mare resumes for the spring paying close to $20 at time of publish and looks overpriced for a genuine Randwick track specialist (9:3-3-2) who is undefeated over Saturday’s 1400m distance.
She’s not been first past the post since going back-to-back at Group 1 level last March taking out the Surround Stakes / Coolmore Classic double, but she has been competitive in plenty of top-level events since.
Fresh last spring she was a nostril-flare second to Headwall in the $1 million Concorde before a host of game runs including a seventh in The Everest only two lengths off Hong Kong hero Ka Ying Rising.
Her autumn was full of strong performances with four Top 4 runs on the trot, the latest a second to Idle Flyer in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf over the mile.
Her trials have been okay, but she always performs better with the race day pressure on, she’s drawn to get a gun run from gate two and Kerrin McEvoy takes the sit on her for the first time.
Flies fresh, right distance to get things underway, she’ll be midfield and closing hard.
Top 3 chance for sure.
My full Winx Stakes Tips & Predictions 2026: Best Bets are also now available!
| 12. Lady Shenandoah (2) 57kg3342x |
With Group 1 racing back and the value runners circling, this is the weekend to trust your gut, chase the overs and let a few double‑figure flyers spice up your spring kickoff. Whether it’s a sneaky swooper in the Toy Show, a bold front‑runner in the Show County, or a Winx Stakes roughie ready to blow up the exotics, Hendo’s Hopefuls have you covered. Strap in, stack those Same Race Multis, and let the Saturday roughies do the heavy lifting — spring starts now!
Happy punting!
Saturday Racing Previews
- Winx Stakes Day Preview (Randwick)
- Carlyon Stakes Day Preview (Sandown-Hillside)
- Doomben Preview
Saturday Roughies – FAQs
Horses coming back from deep Group company often find huge improvement when tackling easier Saturday fields. The market can overlook how much class relief boosts fringe chances.
When races don’t unfold as predicted — leaders crawl, mid‑race moves happen, or the backmarkers stack — outsiders with adaptable patterns suddenly become live chances.
Big stables frequently present multiple runners with different roles: one on‑pace, one swooping, one fresh. The “forgotten” horse can be the one with the perfect race shape.
Randwick’s long run‑in means wide gates aren’t the death sentence punters fear. Horses drawn out can stay out of trouble, find clean air, and launch late at juicy odds.
Many outsiders need that first hit‑out to tighten up. When they step out fitter, with a map that suits, they can jump several lengths — often before the market catches on.
Sudden weather shifts can flip the script. Mudlarks, dry‑trackers, and horses with versatile actions can become value goldmines when conditions change late.
A senior jockey replacing an apprentice, or a rider with a proven affinity for the horse, can turn a fringe hope into a genuine upset chance.
Larger race fields on Saturdays create more pressure, more tempo swings, and more opportunities for off‑speed runners to slot in and produce a late surge — perfect roughie territory.
Absolutely. Horses with consistent top‑six profiles, strong late splits, or proven track form can be brilliant value fillers in SRMs, trifectas and first fours.
Trial replays, subtle gear tweaks, quiet stable confidence and early flucs are the first clues. When multiple signals align, Hendo starts circling the outsider.