Racing for Good Charity Race Day – Randwick Saturday Tips & Preview
War Eternal looks a winning hope in Race 8 at Randwick this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Racing for Good Charity Race Day – Randwick Saturday Tips & Preview

Racing in Sydney on Saturday is headlined by Randwick’s Racing for Good Charity Race Day featuring a bumper 10-event program.

Wet tracks have been playing havoc to the meetings around New South Wales this winter racing season, and it could be a similar story in the big city this weekend.

Currently Randwick is rated a Heavy (9), but with little rain on the radar, there is a chance for an upgrade or even a Soft course before things get underway.

As always, we’ve cast our expert eye over the Sydney race fields for Saturday and have our insider Randwick racing tips and previews below.

Race 1 - 11:10AM TAB HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
No. 2 Bartolf

Nice little two-year-old’s race to kick things off and it is a typically open affair.

Bartolf looks to be a good type in the making and better value than the favourite here to make it a perfect two-from-two start to his career.

The John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained So You Think colt is well-bred and drawn a treat in gate four for Nash Rawiller.

Impressive debut on a bottomless Heavy (10) Scone track over 1200m on July 2 winning by 1.2 lengths with a similar weight as the odds-on elect.

Better value now up to 1400m, which he should eat up, and gets conditions to suit again.

Big hope.

Race 2 - 11:45AM ASX MAURICE FARHART HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
No. 1 In Flight

Three-year-old short distance types get around in the second and the airborne favourite, In Flight, looks hard to beat even hefting the 60kg top weight.

From master trainer of sprinters Joe Pride, this in-form Flying Artie filly is enjoying a purple patch having won three of her past four assignments.

A noted mudlark she is relishing the wet tracks including at Rosehill over 1100m a fortnight back when saluting by three-quarters of a length over Disneck.

She has form around good horses and is top pick from gate four with Jay Ford retaining the ride.

Needs to go to another level up to this weight and giving away some kilos to others in eye-catching form, but think class can prevail.

each way
Race 3 - 12:20PM TAB HIGHWAY PLATE (1600 METRES)
No. 12 Spritely Emily

Milers on show in the third with a Class 3 at set weights where Spritely Emily is unwanted at 50/1 at time of publish but looks, for mine, to be a decent Each Way value play.

Terry Robinson’s Shoalhaven Heads-based mare is a veteran eight-year-old still showing plenty of zest for racing.

She’s a well-bred daughter of So You Think and on Heavy going has a 50% place rate (6:0-3-0) putting her in contention for a top three run at odds.

Confidence of a last start win from June 28 in a BM 58 with 55kg at Moruya.

Is given a shot in better company now heading to Royal Randwick for the first time.

She’ll carry 55kg with the claim of Jett Stanley and can surprise a few if she slots in from out wide.

Race 4 - 12:55PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1600 METRES)
No. 14 Rapt

A decent BenchMark 72 field gathered for the fourth with a few boasting genuine claims including this value runner Rapt for Jason Dreamer.

Ashley Morgan retains the ride on the progressive, Newcastle-based More Than Ready filly who looks to be hitting her stride now.

The bonny bay comes off a two-length mile victory at Scone from July 2 carrying 57kg to a commanding win on a Heavy (10) course.

She absolutely swam that day, gets a lovely bit of weight relief down to 54kg, gets things her way from gate five and is proven at the distance now.

Will get further and beat better in the future. Take her while the value is still there!

Race 5 - 1:30PM JAMES SQUIRE HANDICAP (1800 METRES)
No. 4 Bakerloo

Staying types do battle in the fifth and siding with a young filly in Bakerloo to continue her good recent form with a big performance here.

The Paul Perry-trained daughter of The Mission jumps from gate two with Ashley Morgan, who has plenty of experience on her back, riding again.

The filly won back-to-back races in May before two close calls last month.

She was third against the older mares over a mile with 58kg narrowly beaten two back before a last start Rosehill second over 1400m beaten a nostril flare after jumping from the outside alley.

Drawn better now and think she’ll appreciate the extra metres.

Previously Group 3 performed, drops from 58.5kg to 56.5kg and if she runs it out, she can win.

Race 6 - 2:05PM I LOVE 0% COCKTAILS HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
No. 5 Anagain

Open affair in the sixth but have landed on the Joe Pride-trained Anagain drawn well in gate two for top hoop Jay Ford.

Had been a while between wins before this daughter of Hinchinbrook broke the drought and regained confidence on June 29 with a narrow victory over Bakerloo in a F&M Benchmark 78 over this distance at Rosehill.

Up two kilos on her wining weight that day so faces a challenge to put two together, but she has a decent Randwick record (9:1-2-2) and handles the Soft – Heavy tracks very well.

Sticking with.

Race 7 - 2:40PM ELITE SAND & SOIL HANDICAP (1600 METRES)
No. 3 Space Age

Race seven shapes up as one of the best of the day with some big-name runners in the mix over the Randwick mile, some of which could be spring carnival bound.

From the stables of super trainer Ciaron Maher comes Space Age who looks a genuine chance to go back-to-back after handling a Heavy (8) Warwick Farm track to salute over the mile on June 26.

He carried 57.5kg to an eye-catching 2.68 length romp home over Sailor and Danish Prince there and is fit and ready to fire again.

The Irish import has his 10th start and chases win number four.

He has a 50% winning strike rate over the distance from four starts, goes well in the wet conditions and is looking to continue his good early form down under ahead of tougher spring assignments.

Apprentice claim has him right in this weight-wise.

Back now, and look out for in spring futures.

Race 8 - 3:20PM KANEBRIDGE HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
No. 3 War Eternal

Race eight is a BenchMark 88 handicap that shapes up as a cracking affair.

Finding it really hard to draw a line between the current favourite Testator Silens and War Eternal, but think the latter just nudges the top elect out in this rematch.

They met last time out over 1500m at Rosehill on June 29 with War Eternal third to Testator Silens’ second behind Highlights.

The drop back to 1400m suits both, but Bjorn Baker’s Pierro five-year-old War Eternal looks ready to peak for mine.

He was hampered by a wide draw (13 of 15) last time out and gets a better go of it now from a favourable barrier three for Jason Collett on Saturday.

His name was being spoken about when he was a three-year-old in 2022 running well in events like the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (4th) behind stars like Converge and Anamoe.

He has faced great horses without being embarrassed and looks deserving of a win here.

Race 9 - 4:00PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS HANDICAP (1800 METRES)
No. 8 Amberite

Another BM 88 for the meeting’s penultimate event and it is a full field full of winning hopes!

Tough race to call if you don’t think the $2 top fancy, Waterhouse/Bott import Bear On The Loose, wins again.

I tend to be in the ‘lay the favourite’ camp here but could be embarrassed and miss backing a spring star in the early stages!

Still, for value Matt Laurie’s Amberite is going equally as well and jumps one on the inside of the favourite.

Regan Bayliss partners the flying Proisir four-year-old from New Zealand who is two from three down under this prep.

Was narrowly denied behind Foujita San over 2000m at Caulfield two back before getting back in the winners’ circle on June 29 on a Heavy (8) Rosehill course over 1800m saluting by a nose with 60kg.

Bayliss rode him that day and they pair up again here with the horse making his Randwick debut.

Versatile and back to 57.5kg.

Wins.

Race 10 - 4:35PM SCHWEIZER KOBRAS LAWYERS HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
No. 11 The Escape

Quick sprint to close proceedings where The Escape presents as a livewire chance well-weighted and drawn a gem of a gate for the last.

Paul Perry’s consistent three-year-old Shalaa gelding has his ninth start and comes in a two-time winner.

His latest victory was on June 6 defeating Winning Proposal over 1000m on a Heavy (9) with 58.5kg by over a length.

Was put in a tougher race at Rosehill last start and finished fifth, far from disgraced 1.89 lengths off In Flight in a BM72 over 1100m.

Back to the 1000m now and, even against another tough line-up, looks a shot fourth-up and fit with Rachel King in the saddle.