Day 1 of The Championships has arrived, and we are set for a huge day of black type racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Four Group 1 races will be run and won on the ten-strong card on Day 1 of The Championships, but the 2018 Doncaster Mile headlines what is one of the most highly-anticipated Autumn Carnival days.
The Kindergarten Stakes has been won by horses like Hallowed Crown, Astern and Property in recent years and another classy field of two-year-olds is set to step out for the race on Saturday. Enbihaar ($2.90) has shown above average ability through her short racing career so far and looks like the horse to beat again on Saturday. A smart winner of the Medallion Homes Handicap (1000m) and Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude F (1100m) at her first two starts, the Magnus filly was sent off a $21 shot in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), but flew home from the tail of the field to finish second. There is no horse of Written By’s quality in this field and Enbihaar will be hard to hold out. Stunts ($11) and Munch ($10) both carry good form into this race and look to be over the odds at their current quotes.
A quality field of three-year-olds will assemble for the Carbine Club Stakes and there is a case to be made for more than half of the twelve confirmed runners. Holy Snow has found excellent form this time and is the $4.40 favourite at the time of publish. The son of Fastnet Rock resumed for a comfortable win in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) and has since finished fifth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and second in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m). Unforgotten franked that form by running a close second in the Vinery Stud Stakes last weekend and Holy Snow can return to the winner’s stall here. Sambro resumed with a tough run for second at Warwick Farm last week, but he’ll need to take plenty of improvement into what is a clear step up in class here. The Fastnet Rock gelding was a strong and consistent performer in races like this one in spring and Brenton Avdulla can find a good position in transit from barrier 2. Sambro has already received plenty of interest in betting and is $15 into $9 at the time of publish. Villermont ($6.50) is a Group 2 winner at the distance and is rock-hard fit ahead of this race, while Beau Geste ($8.50) is also more than capable of producing a winning performance.
The PJ Bell Stakes has drawn a quality field of three-year-old fillies and is one of the most open betting races on Day 1 of The Championships. Catchy has taken a few runs to find form this time in, but she’ll relish stepping back into three-year-old fillies company and she looks to be over the odds at her current $7.50 quote. A winner of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes as a two-year-old, Catchy has continued to produce strong performances and results throughout her subsequent preparations and was last seen boxing on for third in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m). If she can overcome a wide draw, she’ll be tough to beat. One horse that could prove to be serious overs is the Godolphin-trained Banish ($26). Banish will resume from a seven-week let-up here and is a two-time winner over 1200m, as well as a stakes winner previously. She’s drawn well in barrier 2 and can surprise at long odds. There is a case to be made for all of Houtzen ($12), Frolic ($13), Demerara ($3.40) and She’s So High ($4). I am happy to play the value here and will be taking each-way odds for both Catchy and Banish.
The only non-black type race on the card on Day 1 of The Championships is the Country Championships Final, but is still boasts an impressive $500,000 prize pool and has drawn an outstanding field. Consistent sprinter Suncraze ($4.20) is seeking a third-consecutive win in this race and will be extremely difficult to beat. The Henrythenavigator gelding ended a strong 2017 campaign second in the Highway Anniversary (1400m) at Randwick on The Everest Day and has been outstanding through two starts this time. He weathered a tough run in transit before savaging the line to win the Scone Qualifier (1400m) on March 18th and is rock-hard fit for this race. Last weekend’s Muswellbrook Wildcard Qualifier (1280m) winner Don’t Give A Damn looms as the major danger.
The Chairman’s Quality always produces a few legitimate contenders for the Group 1 Sydney Cup on Day 2 of The Championships and a quality field of stayers will step out on Saturday. Alward ($4) has returned to racing in strong form without returning to the winner’s stall this time, but will be given his chances again in the Chairman’s. Alward was completely blocked for a run when third in a 1500m race at Rosehill first-up, and has since finished a close second in both the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) and Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m). The horse is rock-hard fit and will take plenty of beating with only 55kgs in tow. Master Of Arts ($8.50) produced one of his best career performances to win the NE Manion Cup and he can go close again in the Chairman’s Stakes. The Mastercraftsman gelding will take a prominent position in running from barrier 6 and will be tough to the line. One horse that warrants interest odds is Tally ($16). Tally is a multiple stakes winner at staying trips and has run on for fifth in both the Randwick City Stakes and NE Manion Cup most-recently. I’ll be backing Alward on the nose, but will also have a small each-way bet on Tally at his current price.
The first of four Group 1 feature races will see fifteen two-year-olds step out for another open edition of the Sires’ Produce Stakes. Oohood ($3.50) mustered another terrific performance to finish a close second behind Estijaab in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) a fortnight ago and looks as though she will enjoy a step up in trip. The I Am Invincible filly is yet to finish outside the places through five career starts, but she is also yet to post a maiden race win and will need plenty of luck here. Long Leaf has shown above average ability throughout his entire racing career and is worth interest in this open Sires’ Produce field at current $8 odds. The Fastnet Rock colt dominated his first three career starts, but didn’t fire a shot in the Blue Diamond Stakes a finished twelfth. He weathered a tough run in transit in the Golden Slipper and was caught wide throughout, but he still hit the line well for sixth and will receive a far-more favourable run from barrier 2. CLICK HERE for full Inglis Sires’ odds & betting update
We are set for another exciting edition of the Australian Derby when a capacity field descends on the 2400m course on Saturday afternoon. Two-time Group 1 winner Ace High has steadily built to the task this time and remains the $5 Australian Derby favourite at the time of publish. The son of High Chaparral was virtually unbeatable at the end of his spring preparation and posted consecutive wins in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m), Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m). Tye Angland will be able to find a good position in transit from barrier 2 and the horse will be tough to beat under the conditions of this race. Vin De Dance ($9) was second past the post in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) a fortnight ago, but was demoted to fourth on protest. The Roc De Cambes gelding won the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in February and could receive the run of the race from barrier 4 this weekend. The Kiwi three-year-old form has stood up extremely well in recent years and Vin De Dance can claim another major title for veteran trainer Murray Baker. CLICK HERE for full Australian Derby odds & betting update
Fourteen sprinters will step out in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes and for the first time in a long time, Chautauqua will not be the winner. The talented grey never made it to the races following several failed attempts for him to trial and instead, it is Redzel ($2.30) that is set to jump the clear race favourite. Redzel went to another level in 2017 and won both the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) to compliment his dominant triumph in the $10 million The Everest (1200m). While he was pipped on the line in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) first-up this time, he was back to his dominant best in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) second-up and will be extremely difficult to beat here. Brave Smash ($7) has also returned in terrific order this time and looms as Redzel’s biggest danger on Saturday. The Tosen Phantom entire needed the run when fifth in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) first-up, but has since run third in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m), won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and finished an agonizingly-close second in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m). In Her Time ($4.20) resumed for a tough win in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) and will only improve into this race second-up. CLICK HERE for full 2018 TJ Smith Stakes odds & betting update
The Doncaster Mile has drawn a typically outstanding group and there is a case to be made for half the runners in the field. Happy Clapper ($5) and Kementari ($3.70) have both returned to racing in outstanding form this time and they looms as the two horses to beat in the feature race. Happy Clapper has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire racing career and has finished second in each of the two most-recent editions of the Doncaster Mile. The Teofilo gelding finally broke through for a well-deserved Group 1 win in last year’s Epsom Handicap (1600m) and has carried that form into this preparation; winning the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) and running a strong second behind Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) a fortnight ago. Blake Shinn has plenty of options from barrier 1 and the horse will be tough to hold out. Kementari has shown ability beyond his years this time and will be tough to beat with only 51.5kgs in tow in the Doncaster. The Lonhro colt easily won all of the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) upon resuming this time, before finishing third in the George Ryder in his first tilt at open company. He does meet Happy Clapper slightly better at the weights this time, but will need to improve again. One horse at odds that is worth consideration is Comin’ Through ($17), who can run a big race from a central draw. The son of Fastnet Rock was a smart winner of the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) last time out and is another horse that will carry a light weight. CLICK HERE for full 2018 Doncaster Mile odds & betting update
The winner of the Adrian Knox Stakes will gain ballot-free entry into next weekend’s Australian Oaks and there is a number of quality fillies seeking the prize. Luvaluva ($3.10) was unlucky to be scratched from last weekend’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes, but she looms as the filly to beat in the Adrian Knox. The daughter of Mastercraftsman won the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and ended her year fourth in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m), while this time in she has finished sixth in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) and won the Group 3 Kembla Classic (1600m). A step up in trip is ideal, but she gives 7kgs to all of her rivals. Godolphin filly Harmattan ($3.40) has posted two wins and a second placing through her three career starts and looms as the major danger. The daughter of Street Cry made a successful transition to black type company when she finished second in the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago and appears as though she will enjoy a step up in trip.