The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival may be over but there is still plenty of quality racing taking place on the Kensington track at Randwick this Saturday.
We’ve taken a look at every race on the card and offered our thoughts below.
The Snowden team saddle up another talented two year old colt by Snitzel and it is hard to ignore when they do! Wild Ruler has only had the one race start in which he won by a length at Randwick back in December. He ran a slick 57.15 over the 1000m that day and he looks the one to beat in the opening race of the day. He has had two nice trial wins leading into this first up assignment and he can kick start our day on a winning note.
Canasta is a lightly raced four year old gelding with plenty of talent. He has managed to win four of his nine career race starts to date including three of his past four. He returned to the track with a seventh first up over 1400m before scoring by half a length last time out over 1550m. He will appreciate the step up in distance in this contest and he will be tough to beat.
Northern Knight has been a very consistent horse over his 14 race career and the son of Bon Hoffa has placed at his past two runs. He was beaten by less than a length on those two occasions and if he can replicate those two efforts, he will be right in a race of this quality.
Kerrin McEvoy partners with the Snowden team with the three year old filly L’Cosmo in the fourth event of the day at Randwick. She was beaten by the barest of margins when first up behind the talented Dirty Work at Randwick and she will only improve on that effort.
Dirty Work is a progressive colt who has been racing well throughout his four runs so far this prep. He was 2.5 lengths behind the winner at The Valley over the 955m before being far from disgraced at Listed level at both Flemington and Rosehill. He broke through for a much deserved victory last time out at Randwick and he again looks well placed in this race. He has a fitness edge over a lot of these and he has the benefit if Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
Sakura has had two goes on the heavy track now in her 10 start career and she clearly doesn’t handle it. She ran into a heavy track first up when being asked to carry 62kg and she did very well to finish within a couple of lengths of the winner. She will improve from that effort dramatically and I’m willing to give her another chance.
Hilo returned from a spell with a dominant 4.5 length win at Randwick over the 1250m before running third at his next two starts at Listed level. He is a talented young horse with plenty of upside and he will appreciate the step down in grade for this assignment. He is the one to beat.
Phaistos has been an incredibly consistent horse for the royal blue over his short career to date. He has managed five win and has missed the placings just three times. He missed out by the barest of margins first up in a much tougher grade than this and will appreciate the step back in class. He is being asked to carry much more weight, and he has an awkward barrier to contend with but he does look the one to beat.
Agassi has been racing very consistently of late without winning however he gets a lot of favours in this contest. He gets the benefit of Nash Rawiller back in the saddle for the first time since January and he has drawn perfectly in barrier four. If he can replicate his last two starts, firstly when beaten just over two lengths by Royal Celebration before being narrowly denied last start at Randwick, he will be right in this contest.