The Randwick Autumn Racing Carnival begins! What a spectacle it’s going to be on Saturday with a mammoth racing card hosting most of the country’s best racehorses all in one place. Not to mention the international-based jockeys racing including Zac Purton, Joao Moreira and Tom Marquand who will be looking to take home a few wins on the day.
Good luck and enjoy what is my personal favourite race on the calendar the Doncaster Mile! And make sure to check out our Racing Tips page regularly to keep up to date with all of our racing content.
Randwick Racing Tips – Saturday, April 1st 2023
Race 1
(1) Barber is a clear top pick. He comes out of the Golden Slipper where he was wide all the way and never really in the hunt for the win but showed enough grit there to stick on well given his horror run. Hugh Bowman will get it right this time and give the horse a soft run in a race lacking horses capable of competing at the same level as Barber in this early stage of their careers.
(5) Libertad was great winning on debut but is inexperienced and demonstrated that drifting all over the track in the home straight. He won’t win a Kindergarten Stakes with those traits and needs to mature quickly if he’s to compete with Barber here.
(3) Godfather will be in one of the most dangerous positions in this race from an inside draw with Zac Purton riding. He may be the horse able to camp off a hot tempo and find the gaps late under the best jockey riding at this meeting in Zac Purton.
(1) Barber - Win
$4.20/$2 (1 Unit)
Race 2
(1) Osipenko finished close to horses like Anamoe, Fangirl and Converge in the Group 1 George Ryder last start. Beat Zou Tiger in the Hobartville prior with Aft Cabin back in the field. Looks the testing material here in this race by some margin given his respectable performance against some of the country’s best at WFA last time.
(12) Fall For Cindy will run well with Zac Purton aboard. This man gave a glimpse of his exceptional ability as a jockey winning both group 1’s in his return to Australia recently. He rides an exciting filly here who is capable of surprising at big odds.
(2) Glint Of Silver is one of the likely leaders and stuck on well behind Zougotcha last time. That’s quite strong form which ties in to In Secret’s enormous preparation in spring. Interested to see what this gelding can produce here.
No Bet
Race 3
(13) Raging Bull hit a new peak last start running 2nd in the Manion Cup. He can run just as well again or improve further up to 2600m in this event and should be capable of giving it a shake at big odds.
(15) Almania finished 5th in the same race last time but was being held by Raging Bull through the line. I can’t justify the price discrepancy between the two top selections here which is the main reason for this order.
(9) Gin Martini will race near the speed again here and will take a lot of luck out of the equation by doing so. She’s lucky to have world class jockey Damian Lane aboard and should be right in the finish of this race given the apparent lack of speed in the race and overall form of this mare.
No Bet
Race 4
(4) Eau De Vie is the most talented filly in this race for mine. She only just broke through for her maiden win but has just learned how to put it all together and perform at her best. Her 3.3L demolition over 1600m indicates she’s ready to go on with it now and should be able to do so with Zac Purton aboard this weekend.
(3) Sequestered is short here under James McDonald but is undoubtedly one of the main hopes. She’s drawn well and has now put back-to-back wins behind her over 1400m and 1500m. The 2000m should be no problem with her breeding so expect a solid run.
(2) Premise is drawn poorly and isn’t the most eye-catching, progressive type I’d be jumping on to win this race. She deserves her shot here and props to her if she takes it and is able to get the win. I have a few ahead of her.
(4) Eau De Vie - Each Way
$7/$2.30 (1 Unit)
Race 5
(4) Talbragar looks extremely progressive and deserving of favouritism in this race. He’s earned his place in this race with barely any difficulty and although he will have to handle the wide draw here, he’s a top chance.
(7) Bianco Vilano absolutely romped home last start and has been tearing apart race tracks around country NSW all preparation. He’s a huge threat here with a soft run and could be the horse shooting a gap late to get up.
(10) Imatruestar is drawn perfectly in gate 1 here. The price for the horse seems quite generous and given the pure competitiveness of this race there’s definitely a good chance something at big odds gets up here. This horse could be the one.
No Bet
Race 6
(1) Cylinder is the winner here. Went early in the Golden Slipper and was just caught late by Shinzo who received a perfect ride up the inside by Ryan Moore. No Shinzo in this race and Cylinder looks as though he’ll just about get run of the race. Very hard to look past.
(4) Veight is a horse with upside. He’s thrashed his opposition in 2 career starts down in Melbourne and is taking on the big boys now. He’s drawn poorly which is a slight concern but could be capable of overcoming that.
(2) Don Corleone went well in the Golden Slipper. He ducked and weaved between a few horses late and picked up good ground when the race was over. Good to see Hugh Bowman sticking with the horse and drawing well in gate 2.
No Bet
Race 7
(1) Nature Strip gets the nod here in a race that appears to lack some speed. He’s coming off an uncharacteristically poor performance at Flemington which has me more confident he’ll be given all the proper attention and preparation for his potential 4th TJ Smith in a row. If he’s able to assume control of this race early he should win it if he can bounce back to his best given how many of his rivals will be relying on a strong tempo and a strong finish.
(15) In Secret hasn’t matched up against this crop of the country’s best sprinters yet but did meet a few of her rivals in the Newmarket where she gave nothing else a chance of winning. She’s the best 3yo of the crop and should be shorter than Giga Kick here.
(3) Private Eye is drawn ideally. He’ll fall asleep on the rail mid race and will undoubtedly be searching for a gap late to burst through and make his bid for victory. He’s a personal favourite and is capable of winning this.
(1) Nature Strip - Each Way
$6/$2.30 (1 Unit)
Race 8
(5) Fangirl will have an enormous chance to win here given the way she’s raced all preparation behind Anamoe. She’s beginning to become Anamoe’s Happy Clapper and will enjoy carrying less weight in a race where she’s not trying to hunt down the current best horse in the country! The wide draw looks awful on paper but Joao Moreira will nail the ride and get her a back to follow into the race and finish over the top of her rivals late.
(12) Bandersnatch is coming into this race off an unlucky Ajax run and an enormous Doncaster Prelude demolition. He’s sure to run well here given the form he’s in and must be respected.
(2) Mr Brightside has to be in calculations for the race he was able to claim last year. Zac Purton aboard from gate 2 does look like a phenomenal setup on paper and if the seas part as they typically do in the big races at Randwick, Zac Purton could have the race gifted to him. My concern is that doesn’t happen and Zac is left looking for gaps that aren’t there in the straight. I think with even luck this horse can win but can’t justify the price given his reliance on luck from where he’ll end up on the speedmap.
(5) Fangirl - Each Way
$10.20/$3.65 (1 Unit)
Race 9
(1) Sharp N Smart gets the nod here having blitzed another New Zealand Group 1 campaign. He’s the clear benchmark and only needs luck from the wide barrier and a good steer from Hugh Bowman to win this race.
(9) Mark Twain is the danger for mine. He’s progressive and lightly raced so could be the horse still on the up in this field. He was held up for a long time in the NZ Derby last time but ran home like a steam train over the final stages. Right in this if he reproduces with luck.
(4) Pericles lacked conviction when getting out-stayed by leader Lindermann in the Rosehill Guineas last time. That’s never a good sight before a horse steps up in trip but Pericles is no doubt a talented gelding in his own right and will get a good run from 6.
(1) Sharp N Smart - Each Way
$4/$1.80 (1 Unit)
Race 10
(2) Opal Ridge is the best filly in this race and deserves to be favourite. She’s unbackable as a favourite though given the competitiveness and depth of this field over 1200m at Randwick. If she gets enough luck and reproduces his 1st up performance she wins, but how likely is it that she encounters some interference or bad luck this time around?
(5) Magic Time is undefeated in 2 career runs and has won both races with purpose. She’ll be racing on speed which will take a lot of luck out of the equation for her. I expect her to be right in the finish especially with any leader bias on the day.
(8) Russian Conquest is the e/w play in this race if you’re looking for one. He worked home strongly at the concluding stages of his latest trial and has Zac Purton steering on Saturday. The wide gate is a slight concern but in such a big field can actually be an advantage as the horse should be clear of any possible interference and traffic issues.
No Bet
