Feature racing will also take place at Sydney’s Royal Randwick on Tuesday, November 7th, and another quality edition of the $3 million Big Dance headlines the program that competes for attention with Victoria’s iconic Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) that runs at 3:00pm (AEDT) at Flemington.
There are ten winners to be crowned, and you can find my complete 2023 Big Dance Day Tips below!
Midway BM72 Handicap (1800m) – 11:45am AEDT
Xtrarevs has returned two nice performances since resuming and strikes another winnable race third-up on The Big Dance Day.
The Xtravagant gelfing was too good for them in BM64 company at Kembla Grange first-up from a break, before hitting the line for third, beaten just over a length here at Randwick last time.
Fitter third-up and further out in trip this week, I think he’ll be right in the finish.
Suggested Bet: No. 3 Xtrarevs
Highway Handicap (1000m) – 12:25pm AEDT
Outback Ringer has been racing in excellent form since returning from a break, and I’m confident that he can win this Highway race on The Big Dance Day.
Outback Ringer retuned a winner in Class 1 company at Tamworth back in July, and his runs have been spaced since, which really does look to be the key to him.
He absolutely dominated a decent field at Tamworth at his latest appearance, and he’s well and truly earned a crack at something like this.
Suggested Bet: No. 6 Outback Ringer
James Square Handicap (1000m) – 1:05pm AEDT
Hard To Say has recorded three wins from as many runs back from a break and gets another great chance to win at Randwick on Tuesday.
The Exceed And Excel gelding returned to action with an eye-catching performance and win at Rosehill back in August, and he has freshened since adding two more up in Brisbane.
A recent trial suggested that he is still in sharp nick, and the 1000m at Randwick should prove ideal for him.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Hard To Say
The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1300m) – 1:40pm AEDT
Power Of The Brave has improved for two starts back from a spell and can strike on The Big Dance Day.
The Brave Smash gelding stamped himself as one to watch by winning each of two starts during his debut prep, but he clearly needed his first run back this time when finishing down the order in BM64 company.
He followed up that performance with an improved one to fill the minors behind Flying Trapeze at Randwick-Kensington at his latest, and strips fitter into this.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Power Of The Brave
Big Dance (1600m) – 2:20pm AEDT
$3 million goes on the line in Tuesday’s Big Dance, and I am going to be with the Chris Waller-trained Wicklow.
Wicklow has been a credible performer since arriving in Australia back in 2021, picking off some nice races and finding form around some good, city calibre opposition.
Having won the Wagga Cup earlier this year, the Twilight Son gelding retuned to action to finish third over a mile here a couple of weeks ago, and he is a horse that tends to carry sharp improvement into his second-up runs.
Tommy Berry rides from an inside draw, and I think that Wicklow has a lot of these rivals covered for class.
Suggested Bet: No. 4 Wicklow
Barn Dance (1300m) – 3:30pm AEDT
I’ve long been a fan of Fender, and I think that a race like this one is still well and truly in his wheelhouse.
Fender is yet to strike this time in, but he has turned in some typically good performances in some strong races, and he was last seen finishing a credible fourth, beaten only two lengths in the Neds Moonga Stakes on Caulfield Cup Day.
He’s hard fit, this is a weaker race and with even luck, I really can’t find as reason why he won’t be in the finish.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Fender
Little Dance (1600m) – 4:10pm AEDT
These are the gallopers that didn’t quite win into Tuesday’s feature, it’s subsequently a wide open affair.
That being said, I thought that Cotehele could be right in the finish with even luck.
Cotehele has been a great horse for John O’Shea for a few seasons now, and he returned to action with a nice performance to only just miss over 1400m at Rosehill.
He was a little flat second-up in the Five Diamonds Prelude, but he is a horse that tends to experience a dip at that point of his preparation before tightening up, and the booking of Nash Rawiller this time adds further confidence.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Cotehele
Precise Air Choisir Handicap (1100m) – 4:50pm AEDT
I’m pretty keen on Dragonstone first-up in Race 8 at Randwick on Tuesday.
Dragonstone has always hinted at above average ability, and his first prep for Joe Pride heralded some good results, including placings in the Missile Stakes and Show County Quality most recently.
I think that he has most, if not all of these horses covered for class, and he’s had the benefit of a trial leading up to this contest.
Suggested Bet: No. 8 Dragonstone
Quayclean Handicap (1500m) – 5:30pm AEDT
Loch Eagle returned an improved performance to fill the minors in a similar race here at Randwick following a freshen up, and I’m expecting further improvement when he goes around on Tuesday.
We know how good this horse can be at his best – he placed in multiple Stakes races early on, and he was unlucky not to win the Provincial Championships Final in April of this year.
He has drawn ideally into this race, and it looks a really nice one for him.
Suggested Bet: No. 6 Loch Eagle
Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1200m) – 6:05pm AEDT
Munitions takes winning form into the last on Big Dance Day and looks capable of making it two in a row.
The War Front gelding has improved noticeably with each run back from a break, culminating in his impressive effort up in Brisbane last time out.
He’s hard fit and should relish the conditions of this race as well.
Suggested Bet: No. 3 Munitions
