2024 The Championships Day 2 Tips & Preview
Athabascan rates a live chance in Saturday's Sydney Cup. Photo: Steve Hart.

2024 The Championships Day 2 Tips & Preview

Day 2 of The Championships rolls around at Randwick on Saturday with four Group 1 races headlining the program.  

The fillies kick things off with $1 million on the line in the Australian Oaks, before the time-honoured Sydney Cup gets underway between the stayers. 

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes offers a share in $5 million, and there’s no shortage of value with last-start Ranvet Stakes winner Via Sistina stepping out against All-Star Mile winner Pride Of Jenni and Cascadian.  

Not to be outdone, the Queen of the Turf is shaping to be one of the races of the autumn as last year’s winner Atishu takes on Zougotcha and Tropical Squall over the mile.  

It’s a huge day on the racing calendar, and our thoughts ahead of Day 2 of The Championships can found here! 

Race 1 - 11:45am: Jericho Capital Fernhill Mile (1600m)
No. 3 Broadsiding

Broadsiding has bumped into a handful of smart horses of late, last seen plugging away for third in the Group 3 Bailleu at Rosehill behind Linebacker.  

The form from his previous third-placed effort at Newcastle has stood strong with the runner-up Just Party going on to win at Wyong in his next start.  

Based on those efforts, I don’t think the rise to the mile will pose any problems for the Godolphin colt, providing he finds some luck from the wide gate early.  

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Race 2 – 12:20pm: Bisley Workwear South Pacific Classic (1400m)
No. 9 Panic

Barrier 4 could prove vital to Panic’s chances in the run home.  

The Freedman-trained three-year-old is in search of his hat-trick now coming off a first-up win at Wyong a month ago, overcoming a wide ride in transit to get up right on the line.  

He’s been given a good gap between runs, but based on the late turn of foot he showed, the rise to 1400m might be what he’s looking for.  

In better off at the weights, if he gets the right run in behind the speed under Tommy Berry, he’ll be finishing strongly. 

Race 3 – 12:55pm: Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m)
No. 8 Territory Express

Territory Express probably should have won the Group 2 Ajax Stakes last start, a race that saw him get back early along the rail before being forced to weave a path through traffic across heels.  

By Irish Group 1 winner Territories, the smart four-year-old let down with a ripping turn of foot to just miss out in a diving finish – another huge effort after winning well at Kembla Grange over 1400m the start prior.  

Off that, he should benefit from the step back in trip, while I also think another soft track might be up his alley.  

Race 4 – 1:30pm: Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m)
No. 1 Lady Of Camelot

The gate could prove a slight factor, but I’m finding it tough to get away from the Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot in the Percy Sykes Stakes.

She’s likely to go around very short, but in well at the weights carrying just 59kg, it’s hard to see her not winning this race after missing out on the Sires last week due to the state of the track.  

Blake Shinn was largely responsible for her win in the Slipper, lifting the filly over the line to deny Coleman in her final few strides.  

This is a step back in terms of class, and with bigger races in mind during the spring, this looks a nice race to add to her resume.  

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Race 5 – 2:05pm: Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m)
No. 5 Red Resistance

Red Resistance has gone up a big price in Arrowfield 3YO Sprint betting for a three-year-old with solid form around some good horses over the last 12 months.  

He was back on the scene a month ago in the Listed Fireball Stakes over 1100m where he tried his guts out up on the speed and was only swallowed up over the final 100m by the likes of Infancy.  

The son of Russian Revolution saw his fitness give way in what was his first run back in just over a year, but it’s worth noting he split the likes of Cylinder and Militarize in the Todman the run prior.  

There looks to be some good speed engaged in this field, and I do think he’s a better 1200m horse than he is over the shorter trips.  

He likes to race on the speed, so if Nash Rawiller offsets the gate early and gets a clear path across, I think he’ll be one of the hardest to catch.  

Race 6 – 2:40pm: The Star Australian Oaks (2400m)
No. 3 Zardozi

Fascinating edition of the Oaks with last fortnight’s Vinery Stud trifecta engaged.  

Zardozi is set for another clash with classy Kiwi filly Orchestral after finding the line strongly down the outside for third.  

Last year’s VRC Oaks winner has only improved with racing over the last six months, and after missing out on the Derby last week due to the rain, she does appear better suited here with less give in the track.  

As we’ve seen, she’ll absolutely see out the mile and a half – especially on a similar setup to the one that saw her win the Oaks at Flemington last year stepping up from 2000m the run prior.  

Race 7 – 3:15pm: Scwheppes Sydney Cup (3200m)
No. 10 Athabascan

Apart from the gate, this looks to be a lovely setup for Athabascan out to 3200m for the first time. 

The French raider has been around the mark in all three runs this prep, last seen finding the line in eye-catching style in the Tancred Stakes where he flashed home late down the middle to run fourth.  

He was taken back early that day under Tyler Schiller and looked to be fading at the top of the straight, switching up a gear at the 200m mark where he charged late between a pair of runners. 

Like others, some minor sting out of the track suits, and with plenty of weight off now, he should only be running well.  

Race 8 – 3:55pm: Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m)
No. 10 Place Du Carrousel

Some slight give in the track could prove key to the chances of Place Du Carrousel in her second run back.  

We saw the class of this smart Irish import on full display two weeks ago in the Ranvet, charging into the picture at the top of the straight where she simply found Via Sistina too good in the end.  

On paper, her second-up form makes for very easy reading, highlighted by a gutsy win at Longchamp last time in work.  

With a run under her belt now over 2000m and her best efforts coming on a rain-affected track, she should prove one to watch at good odds off that eye-catching first-up run.  

Race 9 – 4:35pm: Grainshaker Vodka Queen of the Turf (1600m)
No. 5 Semana

Semana rates a big chance for mine in a wide-open edition of the Queen of the Turf. 

Ciaron Maher’s mare was denied a hat-trick three weeks ago in the Coolmore Classic, smoking the line down the very outside where she was denied only narrowly by the favourite Zougotcha.  

Her previous efforts were strong, beating home a couple of smart horses in Revolutionary Miss and Olentia – the latter going on to win a Group 2 at Rosehill fortnight ago.  

Getting back on a firmer deck is a big plus and I don’t think the rise to the mile will trouble her after finishing so strongly last time out.  

Race 10 – 5:10pm: Cincotta Chemist Sapphire Stakes (1200m)
No. 14 Saltaire

Saltaire is back on her home deck where she saw plenty of success as a two-year-old last year.  

The Star Turn mare has spent time racing in Victoria over the last six months, finding the money in her last four starts dating back to the spring.  

She came on late along the fence to run third in the Sunlight Classic first-up at Flemington a fortnight ago, a run that suggested she might be in for another big prep.  

In well at the weights with Craig Williams sticking, she’ll do me in a pretty open contest in the Sapphire Stakes.