Randwick will host its first race meeting since the Autumn Carnival this Saturday with a handy eight race card. The feature race might be the $100,000 Listed W J McKell Cup (2400m), but I’m sure most eyes will be on boom kiwi filly Katie’s Cove, who goes around in race three and should earn herself a ticket north for the Winter Carnival provided she wins, which is what should eventuate come Saturday.

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Race One (12:20) : TAB Early Quaddie Plate 1200m

Back Me: Gai Waterhouse holds the key with 40% of the acceptors here. Almalad is the pick of them based on their recent barrier trials, winning by over seven lengths and running the quickest time. Debut win was solid and and gets in very well after the claim for Winona Costin.
Big Danger: More Than Frank is on debut for Team Hawkes off the back of a decent barrier trial placing on his home track at Rosehill last week. He did show gate speed on that occasion and kept fighting on nicely under riding, so in a tricky race, he can run well without surprising.
Roughie: Chosen Prayer worked to the line really nicely at Warwick Farm behind Next Level. That race is the key form reference from raceday leading into this, and I’d say this filly has them covered here. Just a matter if she has improved enough to beat the two mentioned above.

Race Two (12:55) : Sportsyear Handicap (73) 2000m

Back Me: Putting Elusive Runner on top. Dominant maiden winner at Goulburn, then followed that up with a really strong second to Pinstripe Lane at Rosehill. That horse will go around at Doomben in the Grand Prix as a live chance, and he was one of only a few to make up ground on that particular meeting, so I think the Randwick 2000m with some give in the ground looks absolutely perfect.
Big Danger: Elroi is the unknown heading into this. Kiwi stayer trained by Paul Shailer, who doesn’t have the attention of some his counterparts like Roger James, Murray Baker etc etc, but I think he has a really nice horse on his hands. Finished a brave third at Hastings, then was freshened up and bolted in over 1400m at Ascot Park on a bottomless surface. What he beat there wasn’t much, but it was quite impressive and you always have to respect the kiwis when they come over.
Roughie: Keep an eye on this gelding down the bottom, Emerald City, for David Vandyke and Josh Adams. Should have bolted in on debut at Bathurst, then made amends with a gritty win over the Kembla mile. Bred to be a decent type over this sort of distance, and the proof was there at Kembla that he’ll appreciate the trip.

Race Three (13:30) : Girvan Waugh Handicap (80) 1400m

Back Me: Good bunch of three year olds, but they aren’t as good as this filly from New Zealand, Katie’s Cove. I gave her a really good chance in the Hawkesbury Guineas after two spankings back home, and she was excellent behind Chautauqua, hitting the line very gamely. A repeat of that and she’ll beat these, and then go on to be competitive up North.
Big Danger: Very interested to see how Equator goes here. He was quite poor in three runs during the Autumn Carnival albeit in much tougher grade than this, alongside the likes of Guelph, Gypsy Diamond and Arabian Gold. Drops back to 1400m from 2000m which is a query, but on his best form, he’d give this a shake.
Roughie: Longma sat three wide with no cover at Warwick Farm and toughed it out very strongly under the urges of Cassidy to get the job done. He had been quite frustrating in a few runs prior, but now that he has got the win under the belt, his confidence will be up.

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Race Four (14:05) : TAB Rewards Handicap (80) 1200m

Back Me: I think Chris Waller will win with the race with either You’ll Never and Specific Choice. Given he has the race fitness and less convictions, I’ll go for the former. Very good first up run here behind Two Blue in a close finish, then made up a stack of ground late at Rosehill when a close up fourth to Forster. Back to Randwick, where he probably races best, Shinn on board, looks hard to beat.
Big Danger: Specific Choice was the CEO of the Milk Drinkers Association last time in. He was a complete tease, bolting in the run, then when asked for the final effort, he turned it up. Trialled very well last week, and if he runs truly, he’ll probably win, but it’s very, very, very hard to back him with confidence.
Roughie: I thought Inside Job was quite good in the sprint race at Hawkesbury on their stand alone meeting, sticking to the task quite gamely in a strong race. Considering his record, I think he gets in well at the weights, near unbeatable second up and drawn well.

Race Five (14:40) : At Sea Handicap 1100m

Back Me: Interesting race. I’ll stick with Avoid Lightning. She hasn’t raced since really catching the eye in the Sapphire when a closing second to Cosmic Endeavour, a race which was dominated on the speed by that filly. Avoid Lightning has since been kept up to the mark with a slick trial win and while she is creeping up in the weights, she is the in form horse heading into this race.
Big Danger: Arinosa is the intriguing one. Could have easily been sent North to contest the lead up mares races, but Waller has elected to stay in Sydney, I’d say to try and build her confidence back up, because quite simply, she was horrible in the Autumn. Her two trials have signaled she has turned the corner to be competitive in whatever she contests, and she is unbeaten at Randwick.
Roughie: Mount Nebo was forced wide at Rosehill yet worked home really strongly when a 1.1L sixth to Forster. Has to rise a fair bit in class, but he is racing very well at the moment, and he won’t know himself with only 52kg on his back. Loves racing at Randwick and won’t mind the sting out of the ground.

Race Six (15:15) : W J McKell Cup 2400m

Back Me: Two horse for mine between Destiny’s Kiss and La Amistad. I’m going with the latter, purely because she has been so dominant at her past two outings, in particular at Warwick Farm where she was crunched in betting and showed a very sharp turn of foot on the home turn to bolt in. She won’t reach the heights of her sibling, Makybe Diva, but she has her fair share of talent, and enough of it, to take care of this field with the right run.
Big Danger: Putting Destiny’s Kiss in for second and not first because Joe Pride had stated that he was only going to keep Destiny’s Kiss to below a mile this prep, but the horse really grinded home in the Scone Cup to suggest he is looking for further, and he immediately gets it. If the rain comes, he will be elevated to top tip. If not, he’ll rate as a serious threat.
Roughie: Sacred Flyer caught the eye first up at Warwick Farm behind Destiny’s Kiss, then was looming as a chance 300m at Rosehill in the Lord Mayors Cup, but condition just gave out late. He’ll relish the rise to 2400m, and will come right into the mix if the rain arrives.

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Race Seven (15:50) : James Boag’s Premium Handicap (80) 1400m

Back Me: Going for some value in Fulminate. She generally needs a run under her belt before we see the best of her, but gee I have been quite taken by how she has looked in the trials, sitting back and getting to the line very strongly under a good hold. Barrier is no help, but there appears to be good speed in the race, so that should give her her chance to swoop late.
Big Danger: There has been no stopping Amazon at the moment, winning her past three quite impressively and in rather dominant fashion. I think the drop back in distance will suit and Tim Clark gets back aboard.
Roughie: Expect an improving run from Bugaboo. She has been racing against some good horses in tough company in recent times, including Leebaz and Aerobatics in the Darley Crown. She’ll get a soft run on the fence and gets back to her home track.

Race Eight (16:30) : Hyland Race Colours Handicap (90) 1400m

Back Me: $8.50 for Excess Knowledge is ridiculous overs for a horse who is being touted as the next Fiorente. He comes over from the UK with a very similar profile to Fiorente and has an uncanny resemblance to the Melbourne Cup hero of 2013. The trial win was outstanding and Nash was glowing in his report of the horse after the trial. 1400m is well short of his ideal distance, but he is a future Group l horse and has the class to beat these.
Big Danger: Taxmeifyoucan did a bit of work first up in the Wagga Wagga Town Plate, sitting wide midfield, but ran on okay late behind Unanimously. Is a winner second up and draws much better here, plus gets the claim for Thornton. Expect him to improve.
Roughie: Earnest Ernest has really found a good patch of form in recent times, winning at Rosehill, then trialling really well before running at the track again and finding the line really strongly in an on pace dominated race when fourth to Tromso. He’ll get back again here, but looks ready for 1400m now and is only 0.5kg over the minimum.

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Best Bet: Race Three Number 5 Katie’s Cove

Next Best: Race Eight Number 6 Excess Knowledge

Best Roughie: Race Seven Number 8 Fulminate

Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):

Leg One: 1, 2, 3

Leg Two: 2, 13

Leg Three: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Leg Four: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 14

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All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.