The Championships are finally upon us and with clear skies expected, we’re in for a terrific day of racing at Royal Randwick this Saturday.
Four Group One races will be run and won, starting with the Inglis Sires’ for the two-year-olds olds followed by the TJ Smith Stakes, Doncaster Mile and the time-honoured ATC Australian Derby.
The $1m Country Championships Final will also be run and won, and with it restricted to country-trained horses, it will be the only event on the card that is not run at stakes level, but it’s sure to be just as exciting.
We’ve delved deep into all ten races, and you can find our detailed The Championships Day 1 selections and tips below.
Race 1: (12:25pm AEDT) WIDDEN KINDERGARTEN STAKES 2YO SW GROUP 3 1100M
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No. 3 Aleppo Pine
Aleppo Pine hasn’t had much luck at his past two starts but he’s certainly not short of talent.
A decisive winner on debut at Ballarat, the son of Blue Point was then given short let up and was ultra impressive winning an 800m jump out on the Caulfield Heath in late January.
He folded late when resuming in the Blue Diamond Prelude but was found to have pulled up lame in the near foreleg.
The Godolphin colt then contested the Todman where he was held up for the much of the straight.
He does have the wide draw to overcome but gets the services of Blake Shinn and with luck in running, I think he’ll be too strong for them late to kick off Day 1 of The Championships in Sydney.
Race 2: (1:00pm AEDT) TAB ADRIAN KNOX STAKES 3YO FILLIES GROUP 3 2000M
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No. 6 Belle Detelle
Belle Detelle comes straight off a maiden win, but the filly looks to have plenty of upside.
Placed at her first three outings, the daughter of Zed has shown good natural talent and the form around her is solid.
Stepping out over the mile last start on the Sandown Hillside, she gave a good kick in the straight to pull away and score comfortably and I think she’ll be well suited here with the rise to 2000m.
With five weeks since that last run, she’s been kept up to the mark with two solid trials and with Damian Lane to do the steering, she can measure up here in the Adrian Knox Stakes.
Race 3: (1:35pm AEDT) SCHWEPPES CHAIRMAN'S QUALITY GROUP 2 2600M
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No. 3 Alalcance
Alalcance comes off a dominant second up victory in the Maninon Cup and it’s hard to see anything tuning the tables on her here in the Chairman’s Quality.
The mare kicked off her campaign with a gutsy win in the Randwick City Stakes and with the added fitness, she proved far too good last time as she kicked away to score by over four lengths.
Only lightly raced having had the nine starts, the Irish import has now made it four wins and four second placings, and she looks a serious stayer on the rise.
The step up to 2600m will suit and with Tim Clark doing the steering from barrier four, she’ll take some catching.
Race 4: (2:10pm AEDT) HKJC WORLD POOL CARBINE CLUB STAKES 3YO GROUP 3 1600M
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No. 1 Evaporate
Evaporate has been solid in all three runs this preparation and the Lindsay Park trained gelding looks well placed to find the winners’ stall.
Luckless when resuming in the Autumn Stakes, he was then caught three deep without cover contesting the Futurity Stakes but stuck on gamely to hold fourth.
Making the trip across to ditch last start to contest The Kiwi, he was shuffled back on the point of the turn but charged home late into second.
The slight rise to the mile here will suit, he’ll relish a bit of give in the track and draws to get the gun run.
Race 5: (2:45pm AEDT) EVERGREEN TURF COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL SW 1400M
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No. 1 Gallant Star
Gallant Star was the runner up in the 2024 Country Championship Final and he looks set to go one better this year.
The ultra consistent galloper was given three solid trials prior to his return, where he recorded a commanding 4.2 length victory in the Country Championships Qualifier over 1400m at Coonamble last start.
He does race particularly well second up and although he does have to carry top weight, he gets a low draw which can see him afforded a kind run throughout.
Jason Collet stays in the saddle for Dubbo trainer Brett Robb, and I think this is his race to win.
Race 6: (3:20pm AEDT) INGLIS SIRES' 2YO SW GROUP 1 1400M
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No. 2 Wodeton
Wodeton was only narrowly denied in the Golden Slipper but gets another chance at Group One glory here.
The highly spruiked son of Wootton Bassett settled well back in the two-year old-feature and had to wait for the runs to present before charging late to go down by only a nose.
An impressive winner on debut back in January, the colt has performed well in three subsequent runs and he’s sure to relish the rise to 1400m here.
With James McDonald overseas, he gets a suitable replacement in Ryan Moore and the wide gate shouldn’t prove an issue, as he’ll get back and be powering home late to kick off the elite levels on The Championships Day 1.
Race 7: (3:55pm AEDT) ASAHI SUPER DRY T J SMITH STAKES WFA GROUP 1 1200M
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No. 2 Jimmysstar
Jimmysstar was the eye catcher last start in the William Reid, and he’ll certainly appreciate getting back onto a bigger track.
Tailed off midrace, he was under heavy pressure, but the Ciaron Maher trained gelding picked up strongly upon straightening and charged home late into third.
He was brilliant first up when taking out the Oakleigh Plate to record his first triumph at the elite level and he looks a horse on a rise.
The main concern here is his record this way of going as he failed to figure in two starts in NSW along with his one outing in Brisbane, but he did have genuine excuses on those occasions.
Ethan Brown stays aboard, barrier nine should see that he gets clear air and I think he’ll be powering over the top of them late in the 2025 TJ Smith Stakes.
Race 8: (4:35pm AEDT) THE STAR DONCASTER MILE HANDICAP GROUP 1 1600M
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No. 3 Tom Kitten
Not a lot went right for Tom Kitten last start in the George Ryder but the way he hit the line suggests he’s ready to fire here.
The Godolphin gelding has returned in fine order this campaign, unlucky to go down when resuming in the Futurity, he was brilliant when saluting second up in the All-Star Mile.
From the outside gate at his latest appearance, he got back and was always wide but chased strongly to get within 1.4 lengths of Gringotts on the line.
He races well here at Randwick and will appreciate getting back out to the mile.
The inside draw will see him enjoy a soft run in transit and if Ben Melham can get him out at the right time, I think he’ll be too strong for them late in the 2025 Doncaster Mile.
Race 9: (5:15pm AEDT) ATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY 3YO SW GROUP 1 2400M
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No. 18 Aeliana
Aeliana has been terrific in all three runs this campaign and there’s no doubt that with clear running, she would have won the Rosehill Guineas last start.
Settling midfield on the rail, she looked to be tracking into the race beautifully but 250m out had a tiring horse fall back in her lap which halted her momentum, and she then had to pick up again and charged late to get within a nose of Broadsiding on the line.
A daughter of Castelvecchio, she has continued to improve, and she looks a genuine staying filly.
The rise to 2400m looks ideal, she’s unbeaten in two starts on soft tracks and draws to get a cosy throughout under Damian Lane in the 2025 Australian Derby.
Race 10: (5:50pm AEDT) PRECISE AIR P J BELL STAKES 3YO FILLIES GROUP 3 1200M
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No. 1 Clean Energy
Clean Energy comes off an impressive victory in the Typhoon Tracy and she looks hard to beat again in the 2025 PJ Bell Stakes.
With the outside draw around Moonee Valley, the full sister to Sunlight settled back in the field and made a sweeping run around them to kick away and score by just under a length.
She made it two from two in her first prep, scoring a dominant win on debut before taking out the Listed Bill Carter, where she got the better of Lady Shenandoah.
She returned with a solid effort to finish third at Flemington and with the rise to 1200m last time, she proved far too good.
Prepared by Gai and Adrian, the filly presents here at peak fitness, and she’ll relish getting back onto a track with some give.
Tips, recommendations and commentary are for entertainment only. All prices are Fixed win odds. We provide no warranty about accuracy or completeness. You should make your own assessment before placing a bet. Odds are correct as of 13/05/2025 01:15:13am AEST and subject to change.