Saturday’s Best Bets: Caulfield, Randwick, Gold Coast

I’m keen to give POINT BARROW (3) another chance second up in the How Now Stakes.

She has been a terrific performer for the Freedman stable since making her debut, winning five of her ten starts and adding another two placings, while also acquitting herself well in Group 1 company on a couple of occasions last autumn.

Her first-up effort in the Moir Stakes came in less-than-ideal conditions and can be overlooked, and with improvement expected second up and a return to Group 3 mares’ company, she looks more than capable of making her presence felt this week.

POLITELY DUN (2) can continue his progression through the grades when he lines up at Caulfield this week.

He was held up at key stages but still produced a solid fourth when resuming at Flemington, before showing an impressive turn of foot to sweep from the back of the field and score over this course and distance last time out.

With further improvement likely, he gets another suitable set-up this week and looks capable of giving us a good run for our money at around the $11 mark.

COSMIC CRUSADER (5) looks ideally placed in an Underwood Stakes, in my opinion.

After claiming the Northerly Stakes in Perth in December, he returned in terrific fashion to win both the Bletchingly and PB Lawrence before finishing third behind the outstanding Beiwacht in the Memsie Stakes last start.

He should be at his peak now, gets the chance to step up to a suitable distance and has William Pike taking the ride, and he subsequently shapes as a major winning chance once again.

Two bets for me this year in the Sir Rupert Clarke – I’ve put LADY SHENANDOAH (6) on top, and I’m saving with an each way play on PLANET RED (10) at a big price.

Lady Shenandoah is a multiple Group 1 winner who should be fitter for this second-up assignment after finishing behind Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi in the Winx Stakes first up.

She was scratched from last week’s Rosehill meeting in favour of this race, and from the inside draw she should have plenty of options in the run, giving her every chance to make her presence felt.

Planet Red has always shown above-average ability and has twice gone close in Group 1 company, finishing runner-up in both the Caulfield and Australian Guineas as a three-year-old.

He looked in need of the run when resuming in the Memsie Stakes last month, but he should take natural improvement from that effort and gets some relief at the weights this time, making him one to keep safe at a price.

The Shorts has attracted an exceptional line-up of sprinters and shapes as one of the highlights of the Randwick card this week.

That said, JOLIESTAR (2) resumes with another ambitious campaign ahead, and I’m happy to have her on top for a first-up victory.

A multiple Group 1 winner, Joliestar was arguably at her best last preparation, claiming both the Canterbury Stakes and TJ Smith Stakes during the autumn before finishing third after a testing run in the Group 1 Queen’s Jubilee at Royal Ascot.

She has had a couple of trials in preparation for this return and retains the services of James McDonald, which is another positive heading into Saturday.

CUSTOM (4) brings winning form into the Group 3 How Now Stakes on Underwood Stakes Day and looks enormous value at $7 to go back-to-back.

Ciaron Maher’s ultra-consistent Street Boss mare has been excellent all prep and is flying fit now in her toughest test for a while.

Was a three-length winner at the track and trip in a BM74 against her own kind in late July before running third as the beaten odds-on favourite at her next behind Flyer.

Quick to atone she went up in grade and powered home for a 1.75 length victory in the Group 3 Courtza Stakes, form I think she can frank here.

Ethan Brown is riding so well and sticks with her, and, while the mare will need to face the well weighted Bridal Waltz, I think she can raise the bar and get the job done again so long as she gets another dream run like last time.

Is KINGSWOOD (8) up to Group 1 company down under? We’ll find out on Saturday afternoon but I’m happy to bet he can run in the money here.

It’s a wide open and diminutive field and this Gavin Bedggood-trained entire, at $15 at time of publish, can outrun his price for mine.

The Roaring Lion seven-year-old has had four Caulfield runs for two victories and the 1800m is right within his wheelhouse.

He won at the highest level across the Tasman last December at big odds in the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie before crossing second at Te Rapa behind Legarto in the Herbie Dyke and fifth to the same runner in the Bonecrusher, so his Group 1 credentials in New Zealand are strong.

Won fresh here at Caulfield on August 29 at blowout odds as a 20/1 roughie in the Listed Heartherlie over 1700m putting three-quarters of a length on Just Folk when giving all the weight away.

He showed true grit with 61kg from the outside alley (16) making up ground from midfield and will relish a return to WFA here in a compact field from a better barrier.

This is an acid test for sure against good horses, but a Top 3 run is definitely not out of the equation.

Check out all my best Saturday roughies now over at Hendo’s Hopefuls! 

Don’t overthink it. COSMIC CRUSADER (5) is deserving favourite in the Underwood and, despite the money coming for Lindermann, this guy is the proven Caulfield performer and fit horse in the field.

The Kiwi-bred Maurice gelding has been a revelation for Pakenham-based Andrea Leek this prep and all three of his runs here at the track have been excellent.

The WA expat is a proven Group 1 horse over the 1800m having narrowly denied his rivals back in Perth’s Northerly Stakes last December and has gone from strength-to-strength since his move to Melbourne.

Fresh he easily put them to bed with a 2.5 length Group 3 Bletchingly win in late July before proving himself with a strong Group 2 PB Lawrence victory over Private Eye and Evaporate.

Stuck to 1400m for the Group 1 Memsie at his latest and was far from disgraced crossing three lengths third to runaway winner Beiwacht.

Fourth-up now he’ll be peaking, will appreciate the 1800m at this stage of his campaign and, in a small field with the flying Willie Pike sticking in the saddle, he’ll take some beating.

Got too far back last time but from gate three now he’ll land closer and stay in touch without as much to do the closing stages.

Wins.

Read my full 2026 Underwood Stakes tips, predictions & best bets now!

Lady Shenandoah is our favourite but she’s yet to run at Caulfield so for a value each way play I’m keen on SEPALS (3) first-up from a good gate.

He’s the defending Cliff Brown-trained champion who is out to go back-to-back in the Sir Rupert for the first time since Testa Rossa (1999-2000), and he’s got genuine claims to do so in my opinion.

The Calyx gelding loves the Caulfield track having won two from three here to date and is the 1400m specialist in the mix (6:5-1-0).

Unbeaten at the track and trip, he’s drawn ideally and runs for the first time since an excellent second in Brisbane’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

He’s a horse that usually takes a few to wind up so may need the run, but Ethan Brown is in fine form, and this horse handles all conditions.

Only won once from four previous first-up assignments but will go close.

Check out my full 2026 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes tips & SRM selections now!

JOLIESTAR (2) heads back to Randwick on Saturday looking to kick off her spring with a bang, and the six‑year‑old mare has the class to make a real statement in The Shorts 2026.

She’s a seasoned daughter of Zoustar with a serious strike rate here — six wins from 12 Randwick starts — and her résumé already features six Group 1 victories, including a brilliant autumn campaign where she swept the Expressway, Canterbury Stakes, and the TJ Smith Stakes, beating former Everest champ Giga Kick in the process.

Waller then rolled the dice internationally, sending her to Royal Ascot where she was enormous finishing third in the Queen’s Jubilee, running right through the line like the warrior she is.

Her return this prep is the query. The trials have been only fair, and she’s attempting to defend her crown after winning The Shorts last year — a tough assignment historically, with Kings Favourite (1976–77) the last horse to go back‑to‑back.

Still, class is class, and Joliestar has plenty of it.

Even if she’s not fully wound up, she’s the type who can produce a monster fresh run and remind everyone why she’s one of Australia’s elite short‑course mares.

The proven heavyweight in this field and a genuine winning chance despite the historical hurdle and wide draw.

If she brings anything close to her peak form, she’s right in the finish again.

UNLEESHING (7) should attract her share of admirers second-up.

She has always been capable of producing an honest effort, and that was again evident when she resumed over 1200m. Held up and forced to shift out midway down the straight, she finished strongly to claim an impressive second.

Another favourable barrier is key to her chances on Saturday, while her previous efforts over similar middle-distance trips are also encouraging.

DARK ARTS (7) was the beaten favourite when returning at Doomben last month, after settling too far back in the run.

The Snitzel gelding angled into the clear down the outside but had left himself with too much ground to make up. He still finished strongly to grab third in a competitive finish.

He has always been an honest performer and will just need a touch of luck from the wide barrier to be in the finish.

BUCKAROO (2) shouldn’t be underestimated despite his double-figure odds in the Underwood Stakes betting.

The veteran will be out to avenge his narrow second to Sir Delius in this race last year. While wins have been hard to come by over the past couple of seasons, he generally performs at his best second-up from a spell.

His fresh run in the Memsie Stakes was encouraging, settling last before making good ground along the inside to finish fourth.

He closed off strongly and looked sharp over the final furlong. With a trial under his belt and further improvement expected, he is capable of causing a minor upset.

LADY SHENANDOAH (6) may not get a better opportunity to add a fourth Group 1 victory to her resume.

Chris Waller’s mare has competed against some of the best talent around over the past 12 months, finishing behind the likes of Ka Ying Rising, Joliestar and, more recently, Autumn Glow.

She produced a brave effort when resuming in last month’s Winx Stakes, sticking on strongly along the rail to finish fourth. That form has been well and truly franked since, and she looks likely to adopt similar tactics from the inside draw here.

Craig Williams taking the ride is a significant positive, and in a field that lacks overall depth, her class should prove decisive.

More than happy to take the price about JOLIESTAR (2) in The Shorts.

The multiple Group 1-winning mare returns for the first time since contesting the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she lost no admirers with a strong third-place finish.

Chris Waller has given her two soft trials between runs, and on pure class, she looks to have a clear edge over this field.