The Randwick Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the ten race Everest Day program on October 13.
Conditions were testing at Randwick on Everest Day, particularly as the day progressed.
Team Snowden got their day off to a strong start courtesy of the highly promising Anaheed in the 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m) before Redzel successfully defended his 2017 Everest for the stable with a 1.3 length win.
The Everest field combined had 23 Group 1 wins between them and confirms how much momentum the event is already gathering when compared to the inaugural running.
Most will again clash down the Flemington straight six in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) next month and assuming the track isn’t bottomless as was the case on Saturday, the likes of U S Navy Flag and Vega Magic should come into calculations after spinning their wheels badly on the heavy surface.
Another addition to a potentially white hot VRC Sprint field is Pierata who dominated the Everest consolation, the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m).
Race 1: Anaheed - Victory Vein Plate (1000m)
Anaheed has commenced her career with a highly professional victory. She handled the conditions well and put a big margin on her rivals. Her run was awarded a Timeform rating of 100.
Anaheed is by Fastnet Rock out of Rostova who herself was an extremely good 2YO. She won the 2009 Fillies Blue Diamond Preview, Prelude and the Victorian Sires’ Produce.
That pedigree combined with Team Snowden who have an affinity with two-year-old runners, it really profiles as a recipe for success during the autumn.
Race 2: Tristan De Angel - Class 3 Highway Handicap (1400m)
Matty Dunn saddled up a strong trio for the Highway Handicap, Tristan De Angel handled the conditions best and got it done with a Timeform rating of 78. He’s improved with each run this prep.
The son of Not A Single Doubt is still eligible to win one more Highway Handicap. There is a Class 3 Highway Handicap over 1400m at Rosehill on November 10. That could be a suitable next assignment off a four week let up.
Lawan was a real eye catcher late in second. The Jim Jarvis-trained gelding loves a wet track so his connections will be hoping the rain stays around.
Race 3: I Like It Easy - Listed Reginald Allen Quality (1400m)
It sounds like Gerald Ryan really pumped some work into I Like It Easy prior to resuming. While the form guide reads three barrier trials, she also reportedly had a pair of jumpouts.
Winning first up at Randwick over 1400m on that sort of track can’t be done if you’re soft in condition.
She’s run to a Timeform rating of 94. That’s below the five year winning average of the Reginald Allen which already doesn’t tend to be an overly strong race from a form perspective.
She’s by Pierro and they tend to be appreciating ground. Gerald Ryan post race suggested she could be a mile and a quarter type.
Realistically we’ll probably see her in Melbourne next start, maybe something like the Group 2 Fillies Classic over the mile on Cox Plate Day.
Evalina caught the eye late in third. It was her first look at a longer sprint trip and she obviously appreciated it. Furthermore she now has that all important black type to her name.
Race 4: Stampede - Benchmark 100 Handicap (1600m)
The Waterhouse Bone and Muscle came to the fore once again with Stampede. He carried a big weight first up over a Randwick mile on a bog track. He led throughout, kicked away and was strong in the straight.
The son of High Chaparral ran a career peak on Saturday and the stable is looking at the Mackinnon with him.
It’s profiling like a short but sweet prep for him at the moment and would likely go into the race third up via perhaps the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley.
If Stampede is going well enough, he potentially head west after the McKinnon for the Kingston Town Classic. It’s certainly an interesting time of year to be just starting your prep.
Race 5: Belflyer - The Kosciusko (1200m)
Belflyer settled back in the field and charged home. It was a strong country sprint field and he’s run to a Timeform rating of 103.
In hindsight you wonder why he snuck under the radar that badly, he was the second longest outsider of the field despite almost winning the Ramornie three starts prior.
Suncraze and Awesome Pluck each enjoyed fat paydays as well. All these horses were running for prizemoney on Saturday their connections would never have dreamed of previously competing for.
The Kosciusko is a fantastic concept by Racing NSW so let’s hope it gathers momentum in years to come.
Race 6: Pierata - Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m)
Dropping back from the Epsom, Pierata produced a dominant win. The race was won a long way out and he put big gaps on his rivals.
To win the Sydney Stakes, the son of Pierro produced a Timeform rating of 124. That’s a one pound improvement on his prior best run in the Missile Stakes.
The Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington should be his next assignment. The Greg Hickman-trained four-year-old will likely meet a lot of horses there who he would have faced in the Everest. It will be interesting to see how he measures up.
Outside of him, nobody was surprised to see noted mudlark Jungle Edge in second. Clearly Innocent was great in third. He’s another horse who looks set to be in for a short but sweet prep considering he’s resumed in mid October.
Race 7: Redzel - The Everest (1200m)
Redzel led, controlled the race and broke his rivals in the straight. The gelding ran to a Timeform rating of 126. It’s an equal career peak for him. He last ran to that figure when winning the VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) last year.
Trapeze Artist was excellent in second. He’s a big 4YO stallion and the Heavy track wouldn’t have been to his liking. Regardless, the Gerald Ryan-trained sprinter still pocketed a lazy $2.1million for connections and slotholder Aquis Farm.
Osborne Bulls was excellent out wide for third to claim $1.2million in prizemoney.
Godolphin spotted the fast lane out wide and used it well for the Everest and again in the last race of the day.
Kris Lees’ runners Le Romain and Graff pocketed over $1.4million in prizemoney combined while Premiere Stakes winner Santa Ana Lane was strong late in sixth as well.
The field assembled for the 2018 Everest made it a phenomenal race and spectacle with 23 Group 1 wins between them all.
Most of them will clash again in the VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) down the Flemington straight next month. A dry track will bring the likes of U S Navy Flag and Vega Magic right back into the thick of things. Both were no shows on Saturday on the bottomless Randwick surface.
Race 8: Moss ‘n’ Dale - Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m)
The track was getting seriously chopped up by this point of the afternoon. Moss ‘n’ Dale was the sort of rock hard fit, staying mudlark you needed.
The son of Castledale gave young jockey Jack Martin a career best win. Moss ‘n’ Dale himself has run to a career best figure as well. We gave the performance a Timeform rating of 115.
Doukhan was excellent first up. The Kris Lees stable is going phenomenally well at present.
Egg Tart was beaten as favourite again in third. She is getting frustrating but on the other hand, keeps doing enough to warrant thought at her next run.
Race 9: Big Blue - St Leger Stakes (2600m)
Big Blue went into the race off two hurdle wins. Meant he was rock hard fit and simply outstayed them. He turned it into a genuine staying test from the 1000m and had most of the chasing pack struggling by the 600m.
It was an excellent training performance by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and a great ride by Jay Ford.
Hurdles are interesting. They have the ability to transform a horse and switch them back on. Big Blue couldn’t get out of his own way last year for Godolphin. Four lengths was the shortest margin he got beaten by.
The St Leger on Saturday was a good race for the Maher Eustace stable as Big Blue’s stablemate Wall Of Fire in fourth caught the eye running fourth.
He’s around 50th in the Melbourne Cup Order Of Entry. The Canford Cliffs five-year-old obviously has a lot of soundness issues but if anyone can get a horse through that, it’s the Maher-Eustace stable.
Race 10: Esperance - Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m)
Osborne Bulls charged down the outside fence to good effect in the Everest. All three Godolphin runners in this race did the same and came away with a stable quinella.
Esperance is starting to realise his potential now. He’s put two wins on end and this one has netted the son of Bernardini a Timeform rating of 105.
He’s only a Benchmark 80 horse after Saturday as well so James Cummings can simply keep him at Benchmark level for the rest of his prep.
Revenire in second kicked off his campaign in great order as well. The Lonhro entire has always been extremely consistent.
