Chris Scholtz previews Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick on April 9 with selections for all races plus Trial Watch and Blackbook runners.
RANDWICK April 9
QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES: A contest to savour as we get the best of the best meeting at the peak of their form – just a shame about the heavy conditions. The saturated track (over 220ml last week) will make this a tactical slog which makes the tough staying mare MONTEFILIA a good gamble after she clearly had the measure of a fitter VERRY ELLEEGANT by two lengths in the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill. She was taking on 2000m second up but still ran 1.5 seconds faster than ANAMOE in the Rosehill Guineas on the same program and only has to hold that form to make life tough for her rivals on a course where she already has two G1 wins at 2000m and 2400m to her credit. DUAIS is flying and should be the one with the last run at them in the testing conditions while I expect Tommy Berry to try and take advantage of ANAMOE'S weight advantage with an aggressive ride. I'm not discounting I'M THUNDERSTRUCK to come off his tough seconds in the All Star Mile and Doncaster and prove himself as a top notch 2000m performer as he is definitely looking for the trip. No knock on ZAAKI's form but he's the one you have to oppose in the conditions as others rate so much better in heavy ground.
MONTEFILIA 1; Duais 2; Verry Elleegant 3; Anamoe 4; I'm Thunderstruck 5; Zaaki 6.
SYDNEY CUP: STOCKMAN is the horse to beat after recording a G3 win in the Sky High Stakes beating subsequent winner Mount Popa and a G1 second to Duais under wfa conditions in the Tancred Stakes since the weights were released. His handicap rating has risen seven points but he drops 8kg from his Tancred second to only 51kg - the lightest weight he has carried in his entire 29-start career - and his super soft and heavy credentials (6-7-17) take on greater importance when you note he is unbeaten in four starts over 2000m and longer on genuine heavy tracks. Chris Waller is going for his sixth Sydney Cup win and as usual has a strong team arriving in the right form. My preferences are for his dour wet trackers SUREFIRE and NO COMPROMISE but he has others with the ratings to win. Chairman's Handicap form is always a strong Sydney Cup guide with KNIGHT'S ORDER and LUNCIES certain to run well on the seven day back up.
STOCKMAN 1; Surefire 2; No Compromise 3; Luncies 4; Knight's Order 5; Crystal Pegasus 6.
ATC OAKS: Can the Eustace/Maher team pull of another training masterclass to match last week's Derby success with Hitotsu? They have taken the same approach with BISCAYNE BAY, a classy filly who was placed in the VRC Oaks at Flemington in the spring and tackles this classic off just one lead up in the G2 Kewney over 1600m at Flemington where her effort really caught the eye. Gets the significant addition of blinkers and is worth a gamble at generous odds as she has that Oaks placing on her record and has produced strong form on affected tracks, not surprising as she is by a noted wet track sire, the late Sebring. Vinery Stakes placegetters HINGED and GYPSY GODDESS hold the superior ratings at level weights but Godolphin filly HONEYKEEPER was so dominant in the Adrian Knox last Saturday that it would be no surprise to see her complete the seven day double like Colette did for the stable two years ago. Big watch on ex-Kiwi filly LE VILLI as she is a winner in soft ground at her only attempt and NZ Oaks form usually holds up well in Sydney.
BISCAYNE BAY 1; Honeykeeper; Gypsy Goddess 3; Hinged 4; Pink Ivory 5; Le Villi 6.
RACE 3 (9) GREAT NEWS: Quality mare has missed a place only once in 15 starts, a record that speaks volumes for her talent. She is a multiple Group placegetter and is sure to have taken plenty of benefit from her game first-up second after a tough run in the 1200m heat at Gosford that qualified her for this rich final. She's the weight horse dropping 1.5kg off that effort and gets a big riding switch to James McDonald. She's won twice and a second from three tries in the heavy and J Mac should ride her to suit the likely track pattern.
RACE 5 (6) MAZU: Reaches his grand final unbeaten in three starts since he was gelded and is ready to go to a new peak after carrying bigger weights in his dominant run of victories where he's returned figures worthy of high class Group winners. Rates highly with 2kg less than his latest win on a Heavy 9 in the Listed Darby Munro (1200m) at Rosehill where he scored eased down by 2.5 lengths, giving him four wins from five starts on soft and heavy tracks. Expect Sam Clipperton to ride him with confidence after teaming him with him in four straight wins including two at this course.
RACE 10 (8) EMANATE: She has been an enigma in past preps with a tendency to mix her form but her last start blitz to score by almost five lengths third up in the G3 Birthday Card (1200m) on a Heavy 9 at Rosehill when she never got out of second gear was confirmation of a mare primed to go to a new peak. This will be a good test for her as other mares are favoured by the compressed weight scale with only a 2kg spread from top to bottom but she is so good on affected tracks that I cannot see her regressing from her last start.
Selections
RACE 1: 1-2-6-8
RACE 2: 9-12-7-4
RACE 3: 9-2-1-3
RACE 4: 12-3-14-8
RACE 5: 6-1-2
RACE 6: 3-4-2-1
RACE 7: 4-11-8-9
RACE 8: 8-7-6-9
RACE 9: 1-3-15-9
RACE 10: 8-4-3-5
TRIAL WATCH REPORT – April 9
NOTED TRIAL RUNNERS
RANDWICK SATURDAY: Zethus (R2); Tonneofgrit (R2); Travest (R3); Pantonario (R4); Paris Dior (R4); Swift Sweet (R4); Kin (R4); Magic Carpet (R4); Sheeza Belter (R4); Four Moves Ahead (R10)
CAULFIELD SATURDAY: Welsh Legend (R3)
NEWCASTLE SATURDAY: Wine I Am (R6)
DOOMBEN SATURDAY: Coco Rox (R5); Zoffany's Lad (R6); More Sundays (R9)
KEMBLA GRANGE TUESDAY: Whasir (R3/R5); Iliana (R4);
RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: Quiet Riot; Largo Winch; Czar; Heresy; Zeminnika; Zain's Girl; Strombus; Jamesonheart; Norman; Vilana; Voldemort; Sinaloa; Comrade Rosa; I Am Me; Kinloch; Nominator; Propel Motion; Willinga Beast; Loch Eagle.
TRIAL POINTERS
RANDWICK April 4: PANTONARIO is one of the best maiden fillies in Sydney with Group placings behind the likes of Fireburn and Coolangatta backed up by her impressive trial form. This was her second trial win since she was placed in the G3 Widden Stakes in January and underlined her talent as she went up a gear at the 200m after sitting outside the leader to coast home by 1.68 lengths in the fastest of the seven 736m heats (43.80; 33.87). Exciting Pierro filly PARIS DIOR is on the boil for a big first-up performance after another classy win in her 1045m heat (64.34) to back up her trial win on March 18. She did it easily to post the fastest last 600m sectional in the eight heats over the distance (35.08), sitting wide off a leading pair before cruising past them under a big hold from James McDonald to score by almost three lengths with the rest of the field spread out over more than 15 lengths. Expect her to confirm the potential she displayed early in the season.
WARWICK FARM April 1 (Polytrack): Godolphin won 2YO heats over 740m with KIN (44.79; 34.72) and MAGIC CARPET (44.90; 34.60). Impending filly KIN has placed in her first two starts at Flemington and her easy two lengths win in the quickest heat augers well for her prospects in Sydney. Lonhro filly MAGIC CARPET has a Magic Night Stakes placing on the board and should not be long breaking her maiden. It was hard to miss an impressive third from ZETHUS in the 3YO heat over 740m heat won by TONNEOFGRIT (44.78; 34.27).
WARWICK FARM March 25: Magic Night Stakes placed SWIFT SWEET isn't far off a win after running home over the top of her rivals in her 805m heat (48.49; 34.94). She's a robust filly with a big stride and definitely has a future. Better Than Ready filly COCO ROX won two of her first four starts at Grafton and the Sunshine Coast and clearly has the talent to make metropolitan grade. Did it with ease to clock the fastest of the four 802m heats (47.70; 34.14) with the best part of her work the way she extended over the last 200m under no pressure after sitting on the pace.
RANDWICK March 18: PARIS DIOR has shown plenty in her three race starts and this trial has her primed to make an impact in a suitable 2YO race over the carnival. Settled one out one back behind a leading pair in her 1050m heat (64.37; 35.29) before James McDonald eased her to the outside on straightening. He barely moved as she extended easily to sprint past the leaders and run to the line under no pressure to score by more than seven lengths. Impressive work! The Snowdens also gave their new acquisition SHEEZA BELTER, winner of the WA Magic Millions at Pinjarra, her first Sydney trial and would have liked her closing second. (64.05; 35.19).
GOSFORD March 18: The talented MORE SUNDAYS was under a race ban after winning his last start at Rosehill on January 29 as he was found to have bled from one nostril. The embargo was lifted after he produced one of the best trials of the session making up many lengths under a quiet ride to finish second in his 1000m heat.
WARWICK FARM March 14: The Waterhouse/Bott team won a 2YO heat over 813m (49.20; 34.90) with the well exposed PANTONARIO, a filly who has been placed in three starts against quality opposition. Her turn shouldn't be far away after she let down from midfield with a strong sprint over the last 250m after travelling four deep from the start.
BLACKBOOK REPORT
Eligible Blackbook Runners – April 9-10
RANDWICK SATURDAY: Rustic Steel (R3); Astero (R3); Swift Sweet (R4); In The Congo (R5); I Am Lethal (R5); Biscayne Bay (R6); El Patroness (R6); Luncies (R7); Le Baol (R7); Quantum Mechanic (R9).
CAULFIELD SATURDAY: Welsh Legend (R3)
DOOMBEN SATURDAY: Knight Mariner (R2); Putontheredlight (R5); Aidensfield (R7); Smart 'N' Sexy (R9)
MORPHETTVILLE SATURDAY: Aktolgali (R4); The Map (R7)
ASCOT SATURDAY: Premium Choice (R4)
GERALDTON SUNDAY: Sluice Box (R7)
RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: Mr Brightside; Bullfinch; Daisies; Athelric; Maserartie Bay; Express Pass; Blackcomb; Mac 'N' Cheese; Duais; Star Of Michelin; Kinloch; She's Extreme; Zeyrek; Finance Tycoon; Comica; War Eternal; Rose Quartz; Mightybeel; Devil's Throat; Stray.
Blackbookers – Selected March 26
(Follow for next 3 starts)
DUCHESS OF DORSET: Watch for her at Warrnambool.
ENTERPRISE PRINCE: Never tested. Forgive run.
MAMOUNIA: Good filly. Will keep improving.
MILFORD: One for the midweeks.
PARTY FOR ONE: Can be placed to advantage over 1400m.
VITRUVIUS: No luck. Follow with confidence.
ZAYYDANI: Strong return. Sure to be fitter.
