The Listed Winter Stakes highlights a ten-race program at Royal Randwick this Saturday where the Australian Turf Club will celebrate their members.
Unfortunately, the inclement weather that has plagued Sydney in recent times has continued this week and we will be racing on a rain-affected surface.
We’ve cast our eye over the form and provided our top selections in each race below.
Winning Proposal has come back this preparation in fine style.
The Kristen Buchanan-trained filly resumed with a solid effort at Wyong to finish 1.3 lengths second.
She improved second-up at Warwick Farm when proving too strong despite working from the outside barrier to win by half a length.
Both races were on heavy decks, so she won’t have any problems with the wet track.
Nash Rawiller remains in the saddle and can give her a lovely run from barrier 1.
Lady Boss is building a great record having won three of her four career starts.
The Ciaron Maher-trained daughter of Street Boss resumed last start over 1250m at Canterbury and couldn’t have been more impressive.
She sat on a hot speed before driving clear late in the heavy conditions to win by 2.5 lengths.
She’ll strip fitter, won her only previous second-up race and should go forward for Jason Collett.
Navy Blood is on a quick back-up after impressing last start over 1300m at Rosehill.
The Richard and Will Freedman-trained colt settled back before charging down the outside to finish 1.5 lengths second.
His long run tapered off late but he was five weeks between runs so will strip fitter here.
The drop back to 1200m suits given he has won two of three starts over the distance.
The addition of blinkers for the first time and the booking of Nash Rawiller are both positives.
Clear Thinking enters this Highway Handicap looking to keep her unbeaten record intact.
The Dubawi mare set the tone two starts ago when debuting over 1000m at Scone where she decimated her rivals by 8.5 lengths and scarily had more to give.
Last start she raced three wide over 1200m at Scone before cruising up to the leaders upon straightening and blowing them away late to win by 2.3 lengths.
Both races were on testing ground so she should handle the heavy conditions.
Former kiwi, Strathtay, loved the rise to this distance at Rosehill last start.
Following a solid effort first-up over 1500m behind Franz Josef, the Chris Waller-trained four-year-old let down powerfully on the heavy track to win eased down by 3.5 lengths.
He’ll have come on since that run and he did win his only previous third-up race when easily accounting for his rivals over 1600m at Te Rapa last preparation.
He rises in weight, but this looks no harder than last start.
One Destiny is rock hard fit and has been loving the wet Sydney tracks having won two of his past three starts.
The son of Super One enjoyed a great run three starts back to win and defeat Llanddwyn who won on Wednesday.
Two starts back he challenged In Flight at Rosehill but was overpowered late to finish just under a length second. That form was franked last Saturday with In Flight winning impressively again.
The Greg Hickman-trained gelding bounced back to winning form last start when proving too strong at Warwick Farm.
He maps to get a great run with just 52.5kg on his back after the claim for Molly Bourke.
Wild Botanica was unlucky not to finish closer than her 2.2 lengths fourth when resuming over 1000m two starts ago given she was blocked for a run.
The Joe Pride-trained mare did well last start on a heavy Randwick when serving it up to Passeggiata who capitulated, but she fought on bravely to finish just under a length third.
The winners of both those races, The Black Cloud and In Flight, have since won to frank the form.
She’ll strip fitter and won third-up last preparation.
Iknowastar returns from a Winter Carnival campaign in Queensland that saw him finish third in the Listed Wayne Wilson and Listed Tattersall’s Mile.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding led all the way over 1600m here three starts back for a 2.3 length win and finished in the placings in his four other Sydney races this preparation.
He’s on the quick back-up so won’t mind the drop back to 1400m which is a trip he has won three of four starts over.
Nash Rawiller will go forward and he’ll be in this for a long way.
I’m sticking with Elson Boy who just keeps rising to the challenge and is chasing his seventh win in a row.
Last start the four-year-old gelding led over 1300m at Rosehill and pulled out plenty to win by 1.8 lengths.
That has proven to be a good form race with two subsequent winners coming out of it.
He’s rock hard fit with two of his four wins this preparation including last start coming on heavy tracks.
Chelsea Hillier is undefeated in three rides on him and her 3kg claim will see him carry just 54.5kg.
Rhapsody Chic savaged the line to finish a head second when resuming over 1200m at Seymour.
The son of Sacred Falls followed that excellent run up with an equally impressive win on the Sandown Hillside track when he let down powerfully to win by 1.3 lengths.
His breeding lends itself to wet tracks and that’s supported by the fact he won by 3.3 lengths in his only previous heavy track race.
He’ll strip fitter third-up and gets the services of top jockey Nash Rawiller.