Black-Type racing in Sydney for the winter continues at Royal Randwick this Saturday, June 22nd, with 2024 Civic Stakes Day.
Racing fans are treated to a firming track and a bumper 10-race card headlined by the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) featuring last summer’s The Buffering winner Tamerlane for Godolphin.
We’ve done the form for all Randwick races at the meeting and have our complete Civic Stakes Day 2024 betting tips and preview below.
Class three handicap sprint to kick off the card.
From a favourable barrier four draw Nipotino looks a genuine shot at back-to-back wins.
Danielle Seib’s consistent Snitzel four-year-old comes in with the confidence of a last start win over 1100m here in similar company from June 8 when relishing a Heavy (9) track.
Firmer going now, but going well enough to suggest another competitive showing with apprentice Hannah Williams continuing associations.
Run before the last start victory was a good showing at any old odds finishing 1.57 lengths off Miss Jennifer at this track and trip with 58kg.
Big chance now with the right weight and gate to show these up.
Milers on show in Race 2 with a BenchMark 72 handicap and plenty of winning hopes.
For value have landed on a nice type from the Chris Waller camp with Kapakiri looking a little forgotten in betting at 10/1 at time of publish.
Apprentice Benjamin Osmond rides the consistent Kermadec four-year-old from a decent draw.
Allocated 60kg but likely to carry 57kg with the claim so looks right in this weight-wise.
First-up made ground from midfield on a Heavy (8) Rosehill track over 1500m with the same hoop and kilos to finish third to Franz Josef on June 1.
Franz Josef franked that form going on to win again a fortnight later.
Now it’s Kapakiri’s turn fitter second-up and ready to fire.
Would prefer even more ground, but think the mile at this stage will be okay for him and he’s proven at the Randwick track (2:1-0-1).
Can surprise.
More milers on show in the third where the favourite and early market mover November Falls looks hard to beat.
Mitchell Beer’s progressive four-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls is well bred and rock hard fit now fifth-up and ready to shrug her place-getter status.
She comes off back-to-back seconds at Randwick in two BM72s narrowly beaten in both.
Last time out on a Heavy (9) she was under a length off Decadent Tale at this trip after leading throughout before tiring on the rain affected going.
The country’s leading jockey James McDonald comes aboard now in a big plus.
Drawn wider out, but can overcome the alley.
Likely to lead or be right up on pace, and with a drying track is fit enough now to sustain and salute.
The fillies and mares off in the fourth and like the form around the Jason Deamer-trained Decadent Tale who looks good Each Way value on the drift in the market.
Bailey Wheeler is riding well and comes aboard this well-tried six-year-old daughter of Kermadec.
She’s proven up to 2200m and is a dual place-getter from three runs at the 1800m.
Was far from disgraced when outclassed but only five lengths off Serpentine at Rosehill in the autumn’s Group 3 Neville Sellwood (2000m).
Returned back to her right grade this prep when a narrow first-up fifth 1.34 lengths beaten at Scone over 1700m before winning a Midway BM72 at a mile here on June 8.
Third-up and fit, up in trip hitting her stride now and looking overs.
Nice field of good horses gathered in Race 5 with a host of last start winners in the mix including Team Snowden’s Need Some Luck.
There’s big hype on the Godolphin runner Kerguelen who is nearing odds-on for his second start after saluting on debut in May by nearly 10 lengths, but sticking with a more tested runner.
Tommy Berry rides this progressive Rubick colt from a favourable barrier three draw.
Need Some Luck is third-up and fit having won last time out at Canterbury in similar grade with 57.5kg over 1250m.
No issues at this distance, first Randwick assignment and up a little in weight but putting together a nice record.
Handles Soft going and can win again.
Looking right down the end of the field but top of betting in the sixth with James McDonald’s mount, Amberite, a deserving favourite over the 1800m here.
Matt Laurie’s Mornington-based Proisir gelding is over from New Zealand now and showing good form down under.
Won his first Australian start at Flemington at big odds by 1.5 lengths over this distance before a narrow Caulfield second at the start of the month over 2000m with 56kg.
Ace hoop comes aboard now as he races the Sydney way from a favourable gate fit and ready to stick on speed back to his pet distance.
Short distance specialists do battle in Race 7 and, even with the big 59kg allocation, have Dollar Magic on top to win third-up.
Drawn a treat in barrier three for jockey Reece Jones, this Scott Singleton-trained Shamus Award mare ticks plenty of boxes.
Something of a bridesmaid, especially at Randwick where she has had five starts for four second placings.
Similar kind of record at this distance (5:0-2-1) where she’s been consistent without a win.
Her summer form was strong however, her losses narrow, and she’s third-up now with claims.
Won fresh at Scone in May over 1100m overcoming a wide alley to get some confidence going.
Fifth last time out at Canterbury in a good field only two lengths beaten.
Right alley to be competitive, on speed and can win.
The day’s feature race has a competitive field gathered and am keen to take the Joe Pride-trained Estadio Mestalla for the win the 2024 Civic Stakes.
Tyler Schiller is riding well and partners this consistent, Irish-bred Galileo Gold gelding third-up.
The five-year-old has strong enough Randwick form (7:1-2-1) and comes off eye-catching, back-to-back fourth place finishes this prep.
Back in May at Newcastle he was only 1.5 lengths off Semillion in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) run on a very wet track then finished fourth only 1.38 lengths off Excelladus here on a Heavy (9) a fortnight ago over 1300m.
The 1400m now looks ideal, he’ll relish a Soft not Heavy track, right down to just 53kg, has won third-up in the past and so ticks plenty of boxes at a nice price to earn some Black-Type.
The action continues with a nice sprint race in the ninth where Contemporary has a wide alley (17) to overcome but the right form to do so.
This James Cummings-trained Godolphin galloper is an early market mover into $6 at time of publish to win second up and make it two-from-two this campaign.
Nash Rawiller rides the progressive Exceed And Excel four-year-old from that wide alley and will have to do some work early to get on speed from there.
Still, the horse’s 1200m record is strong (9:2-2-3) and he’s got a good Randwick strike rate (6:1-1-2).
Winner here at the track and trip back in December before resuming to win again this time at Hawkesbury with 60kg on his back in early May.
Kept fit with a subsequent Warwick Farm trial in the wet, back in weight and Rawiller has a good association.
Wins.
Racing at Randwick on Saturday finishes up with a BenchMark 78 where plenty of in-form winter types do battle.
For Waller, Starman presents as a big chance to break a notable winning drought after a string of frustrating minor placings.
Nash Rawiller rides from a lovely gate five draw giving the Zoustar five-year-old every opportunity.
He’s been close here plenty of times but no cigar including a second at the track and trip in late May 1.27 lengths off Diamond Diesel when making up ground late before a third last time out on a Heavy (9) on June 8.
He was 3.4 lengths off War Eternal that day and gets a firmer track now putting him right in the mix.