1 week Ago By Brad Gray
Race 1 - 11.45am: HKJC WORLD POOL FERNHILL MILE (1600 METRES) 4. Michelangelo looks to have the best grounding for the mile tackling it fourth up, coming through the Baillieu when sixth to Nepotism.
Only the winner had faster closing splits. He has just taken time to get himself organised in all three of his runs so far. He still looks to be learning.
Off that win, Nepotism catapulted himself into favouritism for the Champagne Stakes. For most of these, it was Plan B after the nominations were so light. Not for Michelangelo.
5. Spicy Lu has wins at Cowra and Albury, but she has been beating up the older horses. She ran good time when winning out to 1400m last start, holding out Rose Aye who before that gave Istolea Merc a scare at Nowra.
There has been money for her at big odds in early betting. 2. Polish Playgirl was unlucky at Flemington last start, snookered away on the fence.
She improved sharply off her Magic Night debut. Should be able to make her own luck. Have a query over 1.
Tupakara at the mile. Via Sistina is the odd-on favourite for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Credit: Getty Images How To Play It: Michelangelo WIN Race 2 - 12.
20pm: BISLEY WORKWEAR SOUTH PACIFIC CLASSIC (1400m) 7. Canara looks well set up tackling 1400m third up. She is up in grade but is no stranger to black-type company.
The daughter of I Am Invincible ran as well as she could first up over 1100m, rattling home into second behind Written In Code, who has won again since. Then she went straight out to 1400m and although suited by a high-pressure race she was forced to come from last to fight out the finish with Mogul Monarch. She was beaten a nostril in a photo finish.
Respect that she jumped a $5 chance in the Carbine Club over the spring before annihilating her rivals in maiden company at Moonee Valley, where she led. 4. Sargeant Major was beaten nearly five lengths by Autumn Glow in the Darby Munro but it was a fast race and the winner looks a star in the rise.
5. Nostringsattached is six weeks between runs but has won a jump out since. Has also accepted in the Bendigo Guineas.
How To Play It: Canara EACH WAY Race 3 - 12.55pm: POLYTRACK PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL (1400m) 1. Matcha Latte hasn’t seen much of the racetrack in the past few years, having spent 77 weeks on the sidelines recently, which has largely protected his rating.
Perhaps that is the silver lining. The five-year-old had just one run last campaign, tackling the group 3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle where he ran Here To Shock to half a length. He returned at Newcastle where he was run down late by 2.
Lord Of Biscay and Welcometobarbados. Matcha Latte took good benefit from that outing, heading back to Newcastle three weeks later, leading all the way as a $2.30 favourite.
. 8. Money Team has won four from four since being transferred to Brad Widdup.
The dominance of his last two wins makes him a player here. He ran straight past subsequent winner Mogul Monarch at Gosford to book his spot. Will need a Craig Williams special from the gate.
Kris Lees has owned this race since its inception, winning five of the ten runnings. He books James McDonald for Lord Of Biscay. How To Play It: Matcha Latte WIN Race 4 - 1.
30pm: THE STAR PERCY SYKES STAKES (1200m) 7. Savvy Hallie has been overlooked in early betting. The Brad Widdup-trained filly started $8 in the Reisling against 2.
Tempted ($2.90) and 5. Inkaruna ($5.
50). A slow getaway saw her settle last. She kept finding the line, but the race was lost at the start.
Savvy Hallie has run in the Baillieu since then, leading up over 1400m. Nepotism, who is favourite for the Champagne Stakes off that win, ran her down, but she held down third comfortably. That was as a well-backed $6.
50 chance. Not sure what she has done wrong to now be considered a $26 outsider. On debut, she ran the subsequent Black Opal winner King Of Pop to a narrow margin at Warwick Farm.
Should settle in the first couple from the inside gate. Inkaruna has been freshened since running well in the Reisling. That was only her second career start jumping 1000m to a truly run 1200m contest, five weeks between runs.
That’ll bring her on. Tempted maps to settle last and has been around the block a few times this autumn but she must keep bouncing back for James Cummings to press on. Was unlucky in the Golden Slipper, momentarily held up.
How To Play It: Savvy Hallie EACH WAY Race 5 - 2.05pm: ARROWFIELD 3YO SPRINT (1200m) 8. Autumn Glow maintained her perfect record with another dominant win in the Darby Munro Stakes first-up.
Nothing has got close to her in four runs yet. She ran fast time over the Rosehill 1200m and ripped clear late to win by two lengths. The time and margins backed up the visuals.
The daughter of The Autumn Sun stays at the sprint trip but tackles this with three weeks between runs. The star filly faces more competition than she did first up, with the likes of 1. Private Life and 2.
Public Attention running, but the three-year-old fillies look superior to the colts and geldings. The market has identified that, but she should make it five from five. 3.
Enriched was runner-up to Autumn Glow last start and although it’s hard to make a case for him to turn the tables, he looks well set up to run another placing. There was 1.7L back to third.
This race isn’t an afterthought like it is for many others here. Public Attention got himself into a perfect spot from the wide draw in The Kiwi last start but perhaps was found out at 1500m. How To Play It: Autumn Glow WIN Race 6 - 2.
40pm: ASAHI SUPER DRY AUSTRALIAN OAKS (2400m) 2. Treasurethe Moment has won an imposing seven straight races. That goes back to the Wakeful and VRC Oaks in the spring.
She has returned even better in the autumn. She was dominant over 1400m and the mile before justifying the $1.40 quote in the Vinery.
The Matt Laurie-trained filly didn’t look as comfortable on wet ground last start, dulling her turn of foot yet her class saw her still hold a decisive margin. Another shortie but is hard to oppose. 5.
Belle Detelle brings some “X-factor” backing up from the Adrian Knox where she relished 2000m. Her last 200m was the second quickest of that meeting. She is a close relation to Verry Elleegant.
Verona Rose was working home strongly in the Vinery suggesting 2400m suits now. That was the first time she had tasted defeat having won the Kembla Grange Classic the start prior. 1.
Leica Lucy won the NZ Oaks seventh up in her first campaign. Now she is asked to show up in Australia. Wasn’t as brilliant out to 2400m, having won so impressively in the Lowland Stakes over 2000m, but she tackles this hard fit.
How To Play It: Treasurethe Moment WIN Race 7 - 3.15pm: SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP (3200m) 4. Circle Of Fire is back to defend his Sydney Cup title.
He carries an extra 3.5kg, but the dominance of that two-mile win a year ago shouldn’t be underestimated. It was an outstanding staying performance.
He wasn’t going as well in the spring yet managed to run sixth in a Melbourne Cup with 54.5kg. This has been his autumn grand final and Ciaron Maher has the five-year-old where he needs him.
Chris Waller has won the Sydney Cup five times, with four of those winners coming through the Chairmans. The champion trainer has seven runners but 18. Strathtay fits the right profile, down in the weights.
He looks to be ticking over perfectly clocking the fastest closing splits in the Chairmans behind Alalcance. Has a 5.5 length margin to turnaround but gives the impression he’ll relish two miles.
8. Alalcance gapped her rivals in the Manion and the Chairmans and drops to 52kg. The way she busts up a field at the top of the straight will ensure she needs to run a strong two miles.
That’s the only knock in the context of her price. How To Play It: Circle Of Fire EACH WAY Race 8 - 3.55pm: QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES (2000m) 12.
Via Sistina has won at an odds-on quote in her last three wins. Her main dangers face the task of giving her a head start and chasing her down. Given the strength of Via Sistina’s close, that appears unlikely.
It was fourth up over the spring that she produced the eight-length Cox Plate win, beating Prognosis and Broadsiding. While she’s unlikely to repeat anything like that ever again, Chris Waller looks to have the seven-year-old exactly where he wants her. She only won the Turnbull by a narrow margin before that Cox Plate win.
Last start she was in cruise control, winning the Ranvet by 1.5 lengths at $1.22.
Via Sistina looks to have the locals covered, which sees 1. Dubai Honour and 2. Rousham Park the outliers.
Dubai Honour we know. The globetrotting gelding has won three from three in Australia for William Haggas and jockey Tom Marquand, adding a Tancred to his Queen Elizabeth and Ranvet. It’s not an ideal set-up back from 2400m on a soft track to 2000m on a good track on an 11-day turnaround.
Rousham Park hasn’t won for 80 weeks, but his six starts since then have been at the top level, five in Group Ones. How To Play It: Via Sistina WIN Race 9 - 4.35pm: TAB QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES (1600m) 1.
Fangirl hasn’t raced against her own sex since contesting this race as a three-year-old back in 2022. That’s 22 starts ago. The Chris Waller-trained mare won the Apollo Stakes first up at Randwick before stablemate Via Sistina turned the tables in the Verry Elleegant.
She lost little in defeat. The barrier and track pattern were against in the George Ryder where she produced on the of runs of the day to be beaten in a photo finish by Gringotts. Fangirl loves Randwick (20:7-4-3) and loves dry tracks.
James McDonald has ridden Fangirl a dozen times boasting a record of 12:6-2-2. 3. Atishu should have won this race last year having been held up behind Zougotcha.
The challenge is having to overcome a more talented stablemate in Fangirl. That performance was on the back of a third in the Australian Cup. Her Empire Rose win in the spring was coming back from 2000m too.
It’s been a good formula for her in the past to produce her best. 2. Stefi Magnetica bounced back to her best form winning the Doncaster.
She backed up over the spring in the Cantala when fourth up and was excellent behind Mr Brightside. How To Play It: Fangirl WIN Race 10 - 5.10pm: CINCOTTA CHEMIST SAPPHIRE STAKES (1200m) 5.
Commemorative returns to the Randwick 1200m. She produced a career best when winning over this track and trip two starts ago, mowing down her rivals to win the Wenona Girl. That saw James Cummings run her in the group 1 Galaxy with 51kg on her back.
Commemorative drops back to fillies and mares company, finds James McDonald and draws wide, which in her case is a positive. 3. Olentia should be able to cope with a drop back to 1200m after a four-week freshen.
She had her chance in the Coolmore last start, but it was a fast race won by Lady Shenandoah. That form will hold up. Maps to be smothered up.
Like that scenario for her. Four of her seven wins have come over the sprint trip. 8.
Austmarr was ridden for speed in the Birthday Card last start. What makes her dangerous here is the control she could get in front again. Particularly with Commemorative likely to be dragged back.
Austmarr ticked off the 1200m box. Kerrin McEvoy sticks. How To Play It: Commemorative WIN Supplied by Racing NSW Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.
com.au.
