A trio of horses with very different profiles will go head-to-head for Joe Pride at Randwick and not even their trainer is sure how to line them up.
New acquisition Castillian, the consistent Silent Raindrops and untapped gelding Accredited all tackle the TAB Handicap (1100m).
Pride believes the latter might eventually prove the best of them, but he says all have claims on Saturday.
“I’ve got three horses in that race and it’s hard, they’re all coming in with very different profiles,” Pride said.
“It’s hard for me to line them up. I suspect Accredited is the best chance of the three, but Silent Raindrops, she doesn’t win often but gee she can run well.
“Castillian I don’t know well enough yet.”
A former Victorian, Castillian makes his debut for Pride at Randwick having won two of his 15 southern starts.
He has pleased his new trainer thus far and while his first-up record indicates he usually improves with racing, Pride expects a competitive showing.
“He has coped with everything I’ve asked him to do so far, and he’s had very quiet trials,” Pride said.
“They’re not obvious trials but I think they’ve been pretty good.
“I would have thought he’d run on well Saturday.”
Silent Raindrops has been racing consistently in lesser grade, while Accredited has been a slow burn but is showing signs of developing into a promising horse.
“He could definitely go through his grades,” Pride said.
“We’ve been very patient with him, he has taken a while to get to this point but he’s a nice horse.”