2024 The Ingham Day Tips & Preview

Zoubaby has been freshened ahead of her return to Sydney. 

The Freedman-trained filly spent time racing in Melbourne during the spring, notably finishing runner-up in a Stakes race at The Valley in behind the talented Certain Rise.  

She wasn’t much of a chance up to Group 3 level in the Red Roses, sitting up on the speed before being run down to finish midfield from a tricky gate. 

This step back to Midway level should be more to her liking, and as we saw during her recent trial, she’s capable of bouncing back on a dry track from a much better gate.  

Tai Lung is winless from 10 starts here at Randwick, but he has featured in the money on a handful of occasions. 

A gelding to The Fighting Sun, the smart six-year-old has been super honest during what has been a lengthy prep, returning a place in three of his last five starts. 

He dropped back to midweek grade a few weeks ago where he really showed some late speed to find the line for second, a run that indicated there could be more to come with Rachel King retaining the ride. 

Providing he finds some early luck from the wide gate, he should be in with another each-way chance. 

The Chris Waller-trained Dazzle Legend has been given a nice four-week gap ahead of this assignment.  

The four-year-old son of Zoustar kept finding to win at Newcastle on a three-day turnaround last month, knuckling down along the inside to fend off a late challenge from Bullets High, who has since gone on to run a place at Rosehill. 

Kerrin McEvoy sticks carrying 2.5kg extra, but from another soft gate, the pair rate one of the top chances sticking to the mile off a freshen-up. 

Bunker Hut probably should have won a few weeks ago at Kembla Grange in his first run back. 

Michael Freedman’s gelding closed with real purpose down the outside before brushing up against The Novelist, who simply found the line better once the pair steadied. 

The son of Savabeel has drawn a horror gate for this rise to 1400m, but that was also the case last start with Tommy Berry piloting. 

Considering he likes to get back and run on, he should be right in the mix with a genuine tempo expected. 

Gobi Desert was impressive winning the Max Lees Classic by half a length on debut at Newcastle last month. 

It was somewhat an arrogant ride from Tim Clark, the pair settling up on the speed early before unleashing a powerful turn of foot along the rail to race clear. 

The wide gate off a decent freshen-up is a concern, but against a few debutants, she’s probably the straight bat play providing she handles a dry track this time. 

Tavi Time has had a few runs to get him ready for the rise to 1800m. 

The Kris Lees-trained gelding has spent time racing over the mile so far this prep, finding clear air over the final furlong to grab third at Kembla Grange last start in behind Estadio Mestalla.  

It was an improved showing after just missing out on a place in The Big Dance two weeks earlier, and if he can somehow avoid the same barrier problems that have cost him slow starts on a number of occasions, he should be winning with fitness on his side. 

 Sea King is making his first start since changing hands from Harry Eustace to Matthew Dunn’s team. 

The six-year-old import was well-fancied in the Melbourne Cup last month, a race that was a bit of a forgive after blowing the start and being forced to make up ground earlier than the stable would have hoped. 

You only have to go back and watch his win prior in the Bendigo Cup to get a feel for what he’s all about though, the son of Sea The Stars racing clear from a three-wide position to score by nearly four lengths. 

Kept fresh with a trial between starts, this step back to 2400m should see him hard to beat.  

Gringotts is the one to beat in a really tricky edition of The Ingham. 

Ciaron Maher’s galloper has his sights set on a hat-trick after braining his rivals last start to claim The Gong, making every post a winner to draw clear by close to a length over Suparazi. 

The son of Per Incanto has drawn an even better gate on this occasion, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to watch him settle handy again with plenty of early speed expected.  

Given two of his wins have come here at Randwick, he’ll be incredibly hard to run down now that Tommy Berry has a decent feel for him. 

Moravia is deep into his prep, but he continues to hold his form nicely returning a win and a place from his last five starts. 

The four-year-old by Snitzel was a little flat when beaten two lengths on Cup Day at Randwick, but he did hold his own in a slightly tougher race in the Silver Eagle the start prior. 

Given a trial between runs and likely to get back and race off midfield, this looks like a race that might be more to his level.  

Wooloowin is a progressive type who continues to race well for Nathan Doyle. 

The Capitalist mare knuckled down to win fresh at Kensington in late October, spotting the field several lengths from the tail to arrive right on the line for a narrow win. 

She was then beaten two lengths from a tricky gate last start at Kembla Grange where excuses were offered after being held up briefly down the straight. 

This is tougher again up to Saturday grade, but if she gets back and finds cover early, her late speed should prove a factor when the whips start to crack.