A Group 1 doubleheader is in store at Randwick on Saturday, culminating with the $1 million Randwick Guineas between a quality crop of three-year-olds.
Militarize can stamp his authority on the three-year-old ranks with a fourth Group 1 win second-up, but he’ll need to produce his best with Celestial Legend coming off a confidence-boosting win in the Hobartville last time out.
Dissident, Hallowed Crown, and The Autumn Sun make up the Guineas honour role, and you can find our thoughts on this year’s field right here!
Suggesting Betting Strategy
- 2 Units Militarize
Militarize ticks plenty of the boxes second-up for Chris Waller.
The Kiwi-bred son of Dundeel is arguably the best three-year-old in the country right now, owning wins in the Sires’ Produce, Champagne Stakes, and Golden Rose with a solid run in last year’s Cox Plate also to his name.
He was seen doing his best work late in the Apollo Stakes on return three weeks ago, flashing home for second behind Fangirl – form that has held up nicely with Think It Over going on to win the Verry Elleegant last week.
He should take plenty of benefit away from taking on the older horses, and back to his own sex here, he’ll likely be very hard to beat.
Celestial Legend is having his first crack at the top level coming off a handy win in the Hobartville second-up.
Also by Dundeel, the grey let rip with a huge turn of foot down the centre of the straight, shifting across heels at the 100m mark to win with plenty left in reserve.
Kerrin McEvoy deserves enormous praise for the ride, but he’s also got a good fitness edge over a few of his rivals and does look suited over the mile for the first time.
Providing he gets luck from the gate, he’ll be very dangerous.
The Gary Portelli-trained Encap is a gelding I have plenty of time for.
I was with him two weeks ago in the Hobartville where he ran second to Celestial Legend in what was another brave effort all the way to the line.
The wide run told when he was a little one-paced down the straight, but as we saw in the Golden Rose last year when runner-up to Militarize, he’s a horse that tends to race better the deeper he is into his prep.
The barrier is a big hindrance, but he’s super honest and should be aided by a potentially wet track.