Saturday’s Best Bets: Sandown, Randwick, Eagle Farm

PRECISE STAR (7) has been low flying since joining the Tony Gollan stable this preparation.

Formerly with Chris Waller, the Zoustar gelding had not won a race in seven starts but has been undefeated in three runs since coming north.

After winning his Maiden narrowly first-up, he led all the way for a 3.95-length win at the Gold Coast before putting on a clinic over a mile at Ipswich last start with a four-length demolition.

He has drawn perfectly in barrier 1 for 3kg claimer Bella Youngberry, who should enjoy the run of the race.

MARIA CLARA (12) produced an eye-catcher two starts ago over 1000m here, settling near the tail before being impeded and shuffled back on the turn. She was then held up badly in the straight but stormed home once clear to finish third, beaten just under a length.

That effort put the writing on the wall for last start, when the Tony & Maddy Sears-trained filly charged home after racing three-wide to salute by just under a length.

Jockey Mark Du Plessis was so impressed by the win that he put his hand up to ride her during next year’s Queensland Winter Carnival.

She remains down in the weights with just 54kg and draws to settle in a prominent position.

Three-year-old fillies have great records in the Group 1 Moir Stakes and I’m happy to support NATURAL FLING (13) who fits that bill.

The Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained daughter of Home Affairs returned in magnificent order last start in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes where she brained her rivals by four lengths with an impressive display of speed.

With just three races under her belt, she has an abundance of upside and can rise to the occasion in her toughest test to date.

The outside barrier isn’t ideal, but Jamie Melham will use her mount’s speed to cross and with just 50kg on her back she may prove hard to run down.

PEMBREY (2) heads into the Furious Stakes after returning with an impressive win in the Listed Rosebud.

The Tony Gollan-trained filly took up the running in the 1200m feature before accelerating clear to score by 2.44 lengths. That performance took her record to three wins from five starts and suggested she has returned a more furnished three-year-old.

She was already a strong performer in Sydney last preparation, highlighted by an all-the-way win in the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes.

Tommy Berry can use her early speed to cross from the draw and attempt to dictate the race.

TEMPTED (4) looks extremely well placed under the set weight conditions of the Concorde Stakes and can make a strong return.

The Ciaron Maher-trained mare enjoyed a faultless last preparation, winning the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes before adding the Group 1 Surround Stakes and Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint to her record.

She has had two trials leading into this, with her most recent producing a strong piece of work against Group 1 horses. She worked nicely to the line to finish second by a nose.

Her only defeat at Randwick came when finishing second, beaten 1.15 lengths, by Ka Ying Rising in The Everest.

Chad Schofield has developed a great rapport with her and should give her every chance.

LINDERMANN (2) gets the opportunity to repeat his successful pattern from last year.

The Chris Waller-trained gelding bounced back from a poor run in the Winx Stakes in 2025 to win this race, with Nash Rawiller rating him perfectly in front before holding off Sir Delius.

He again weakened late in this year’s Winx Stakes last start after racing on speed, but the return to a mile should suit.

A dry track is another positive, and the speed map suggests Rawiller can control the race from the front. If he gets that setup, Lindermann will be tough to run down.

EVAPORATE (2) looks ideally placed second up at Sandown this week.

He’s arguably been unlucky not to already have a Group 1 victory to his name, producing several typically high-class performances last preparation and coming agonisingly close in both the Futurity Stakes and All-Star Mile.

He returned with an encouraging effort in the PB Lawrence, working home into the minor placings behind Cosmic Crusader and Private Eye, and with an excellent second-up record to his name, I’m confident he can take another step forward and is subsequently my best of the day.

This shapes as one of the more open affairs on Saturday’s Randwick program and KIMBERLEY SECRETS (1) is one with genuine appeal at each way odds.

Having raced consistently in metro company last time in, the Wandjina mare is yet to strike in three runs back, but she has continued to improve with each and was only just denied in a similar race at Rosehill Gardens last time out.

In peak order, she gets some relief in the weights and gets a great chance to convert in Saturday metro company, in my opinion.

PEMBREY (2) produced a stunning first-up performance and looks capable of taking another step forward in the Furious Stakes.

She established herself as a filly of considerable promise during her two-year-old campaign, winning three of her starts and culminating with a Group 3 victory in the Magic Night Stakes. However, her dominant display in the Silver Shadow over this course and distance a fortnight ago suggested she may have returned an even better horse this season.

With natural improvement second up, she can build on that impressive return and it’s difficult to see her not being right in the finish once again.

With one eye on The Everest, I’m confident that TEMPTED (4) will justify her short quote in Concorde Stakes betting.

Tempted returns to the races off an unbeaten autumn campaign that saw her add the Group 1 Surround Stakes and Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint to an already impressive resume.

Two recent trials suggest she has returned in excellent order and should be ready to produce a strong first-up performance.

The Chelmsford has attracted a talented field, but after an eye-catching first-up performance, CEOLWULF (1) is the one I want to be with.

The multiple Group 1 winner failed to fire during his brief autumn campaign, which was brought to an early end after just two starts, but a look back at his last spring preparation highlights just how good he can be. He claimed both the King Charles III Stakes and Champions Mile at the highest level, underlining his elite credentials.

His fresh effort suggests he has returned in terrific order, and if he can recapture that spring form, I’m confident he can make his presence felt again this week.

Little value on Ciaron Maher’s resuming star TEMPTED (4) in another stellar edition of the Concorde, but if this brilliant daughter of Street Boss comes back in anything close to last prep, she’ll be very hard to deny.

The classy chestnut has won seven of her dozen starts to date including all three of her runs last time in on the trot.

She’s been super from day dot including as a juvenile when third in a Slipper before a big win in the Group 2 Percy Sykes here over the six furlongs from the outside alley when with James Cummings.

The switch to Maher did nothing to dampen the form of this Godolphin-raced beauty who came up huge as a three-year-old.

Her first-up form is strong including a Run to The Rose victory last September, after which she lost few admirers when rounding out the Golden Rose trifecta behind Beiwacht who thumped them in the Memsie last weekend.

She lined-up against the world’s best sprinters in the $20 million The Everest to see out her spring last year and ran out of her skin at a big price crossing a length second to Hong Kong hero Ka Ying Rising to put her on the radar for anyone who was sleeping on her before the world’s richest turf race.

This year she finally broke through at the top level with a narrow victory over Savvy Hallie in the Group 1 Surround Stakes before another odds-on success in the Arrowfield Sprint.

She’s trialled up strongly ahead of her highly anticipated return and, despite the 1000m being a slight query as to her sharpness, her Randwick strike-rate is enormous (6:5-1-0) and she did win over this trip as a two-year-old.

Looks back and ready to fire with Chad Schofield back in the saddle and he’s yet to lose on this girl.

Wins.

Idle Flyer wins the Tramway for mine but an underrated fancy at double figures who can add value to the exotics is the Michael Freedman-trained SOOTHSAYER (9).

The consistent Divine Prophet gelding runs as a seven-year-old for the second time looking to add to his good 1400m record (6:3-0-0).

He’s sure to improve second-up now with a 50% winning strike rate from his four previous starts at this stage of a prep.

First-up here on August 22 he was excellent narrowly beaten by Midnight In Tokyo in the Group 3 Show County over 1200m so he’ll relish the extra furlong now.

This is a tougher race and stronger line-up of rivals than what he’s used to lately, but he’s a good horse on his day proven over the winter in Queensland when he won the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich from out wide.

Really liked the way he stuck with the task fresh fighting all the way to the line off an on pace run and Freedman’s obviously got a good opinion of him as he was scratched out of an easier race in Brisbane to run in this Sydney Group 2.

Rachel King sticks with; can surprise a few.

GIGA KICK (1) resumes in a cracking Moir field and for mine the Clayton Douglas-trained son of Scissor Kick remains a huge danger fresh to the young favourite who looks a little vulnerable at just her fourth start.

He won an Everest as a three-year-old, makes his seven-year-old debut and, despite a mediocre effort at his latest in the autumn, he’s a genuine hope to bounce back fresh and return to his best.

Was runner-up by a nostril-flare to Joliestar in Randwick’s Group 1 TJ Smith back in April before a flat run for 10th to Beiwacht – who came out and trumped them in the Memsie by a runaway margin last weekend – in the Group 1 All Aged over 1400m.

His trials in Melbourne leading-up to his spring kick-off have been very encouraging, he’s got a strong first-up record and has the class to challenge the young filly topping him in Moir Stakes betting.

Gets conditions to suit, was far from disgraced fresh last prep only two lengths off Tentyris in the Black Caviar despite finishing eighth and can be there when it counts making up the ground.

The seasoned danger— classy, trial‑sharp and dangerous fresh, ready to swoop late if the old magic flicks back on.

Lovely line-up of fillies on the Princess Series path in this year’s Furious Stakes including Chilly Girl who I’m wary of off her The Rosebud win fresh, the form of which was franked by the runner-up Blue Door finishing second in the Group 3 San Domenico.

But, for the winning trophy I’m finding it really hard to go against the deserving favourite PEMBREY (2) for Queensland’s top trainer Tony Gollan.

She’s been well-supported in the markets and is firming fast after her brilliant victory first-up in the opening leg of the series here on August 22.

Taking her record up to three wins from five starts, the progressive daughter of former top-liner Prague absolutely destroyed them in the Group 2 Silver Shadow saluting by 2.44 lengths in a perfect return.

Quick out the gates she overcame her wide alley leading from barrier-to-box in a superior effort.

It was great to see the autumn’s Group 3 Magic Night Stakes champ back to her best after the Slipper slip-up and natural improvement off the Silver Shadow has her winning this.

J-Mac does come off I favour of the ride on Chayan, but Tommy Berry’s a good replacement in the saddle and Gollan’s been singing her praises all week.

Goes back-to-back.

See my Tip of the Day above.

Master trainer Chris Waller scratched his $11 million earning mare FANGIRL (9) from the Tramway in favour of getting her out over her pet track and trip in the Chelmsford, and I’m listening.

A four-time Group 1 winer and dual 7 Stakes champion daughter of Sebring, it’s been a while since we’ve seen this grand old girl finish first past the post, but I can see her running very well second-up chasing atonement.

Her performance fresh was flat no doubt when she beat just one over the line crossing 10^th to her star stablemate Autumn Glow in the Group 1 Winx Stakes, a race she won back in 2023.

While she might not be as brilliant as she used to be running as an eight-year-old now, but she was consistent enough in the winter with two good Group 1 runs in Brisbane finishing a close third to Headley Grange in the Kingsford-Smith before crossing just two lengths fourth in the Stradbroke in the wet.

Has she come up any good this prep? The Randwick mile is where she thrives (10:4-1-2) so we’ll find out on Saturday but I’m happy to give her another chance and take her Each Way especially if the speed is on.

EVAPORATE (2) was entitled to finish third in the PB Lawrence Stakes a few weeks ago after working hard early from a wide draw to find the lead.

The son of Per Incanto understandably tired late, finishing 1.5 lengths behind Cosmic Crusader, who has since franked the form with a third-place finish in last week’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes.

Fitter second-up and suited by the step up in distance, he looks very hard to beat from a much more favourable barrier.

RUSSIAN DUCHESS (4) looks like a mare with plenty of upside.

She showed good early speed on the Ballarat synthetic last start, settling midfield with cover before building through her gears and powering to a one-length victory.

This is a tougher assignment, but she impressed with the way she found the line, while the booking of Craig Williams is another positive.

looks like a mare with plenty of upside.

She showed good early speed on the Ballarat synthetic last start, settling midfield with cover before building through her gears and powering to a one-length victory.

This is a tougher assignment, but she impressed with the way she found the line, while the booking of Craig Williams is another positive.

GIGA KICK (1) is the clear pick on class and ability.

He has not been seen since finishing just over four lengths away in the All Aged Stakes during the autumn, where he settled well back and never really got into the race.

However, the form around winner Beiwacht reads strongly, while his previous run saw him finish within half a length of Joliestar in the TJ Smith Stakes. Although it has been nearly a year since his last victory, two encouraging jump outs suggest he is ready to return in good order.

He is likely to settle towards the back of the field before producing his best late.

PEMBREY (2) was outstanding on her return in the Silver Shadow Stakes two weeks ago, rolling straight to the front before putting her rivals to the sword and winning by a commanding 2.4 lengths over the same track and distance.

She had done little wrong during her autumn campaign, finishing third-last in the Golden Slipper, and only needs a clear run to settle on speed again and reproduce that stunning first-up performance.

This does not look a much tougher assignment, so she should prove extremely difficult to beat.

TEMPTED (4) should flex her class fresh for Ciaron Maher.

The mare put together a smart autumn winning streak, completing a hat-trick that included a Group 1 Surround Stakes victory before producing a breathtaking performance to claim the Arrowfield Sprint by more than a length.

She has had two quiet trials ahead of her return and, with The Everest firmly in her sights, looks capable of proving a class above most of her rivals.

There is a familiar feel to this year’s Chelmsford Stakes, with LINDERMANN (2) looking to bounce back after a disappointing effort in the Winx Stakes last start.

Chris Waller’s gelding did exactly that 12 months ago, fighting off Sir Delius in a strong battle down the straight. He will need to produce another top-class performance on Saturday with several quality runners engaged.

The wide draw is the main concern, but if Nash Rawiller can cross early and find the lead, Lindermann will be extremely difficult to run down for the second year in a row.