I’m sticking at headquarters on Saturday with a good track expected and Winx highlighting a terrific day of racing.
MALAHAT (Randwick Race 3 No 6)
A wide gate is often regarded as a negative but when a horse naturally likes to dominate and a top jockey is aboard – I tend to view it as a positive. Malahat is two runs into this campaign and they’ve been terrific. Meets a field here where half of them are resuming and gets in well under the set weights and penalties. Hugh Bowman pilots and off a soft draw I’m tipping we’d be diving into rock bottom odds. But the outside gate has seen bookmakers take a slight risk – and I’m getting involved. This colt thumped stablemate Kementari last preparation, should be two from two this time in and Bowman will have a few options from the wide gate – I’m confident he’ll get it right.
BET: WIN
ODDS – $3.10 @ Ladbrokes ($3.40 OddsBoost)
PANDEMONIUM (Randwick Race 5 No 9)
I love finding a different formline and this race really sets up to test the Silver Shadow and Furious Stakes form. There hasn’t been a lot between them whereas Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been building a strike-rate with strong filly Pandemonium. She led throughout to win her maiden at Kembla by 3-1/4 lengths then stepped up to the mile at Warwick Farm against the boys and repeated the dose. Comes back to 1400m but off the soft gate should lead. Josh Parr is in white-hot form and I certainly don’t see Pandemonium coming back to them. Her shorter-priced rivals may appear to have the class edge, but that could all change come Saturday. She’s got plenty of class too.
BET: EACH-WAY
ODDS - $11 @ Bet365
REDZEL (Randwick Race 7 No 2)
I think he can win The Everest so The Shorts looks a logical location to set up base camp. Hasn’t missed a top two finish since the Moir Stakes back in September last year – so he’s certainly holding his form. He has the pace to lead and the strength to kick – he’s bloody tough to get past. First-up in the Concorde gave nothing else a chance (coming home in 32.90 secs) and lumped the 60kg there under handicap conditions. Comes back to a set weights and penalties affair which brings him in very well. Chautauqua is the only one better suited at the weights but he lacks race fitness and I’m expecting the 1100m around here on a good track to prove too slick for the grey flash. Redzel first out and first home.
BET: WIN
ODDS - $2.75 @ Bet365
CHOCANTE (Randwick Race 8 No 3)
This Kiwi stayer surprised everyone first-up when holding down third place behind Winx in the Chelmsford Stakes. He’s out here for the Metropolitan and was supposed to find them too sharp over the mile. But the pace injected by Red Excitement made the race a grinding affair and that suited this tough New Zealander. Now gets to 2000m, comes up with a soft draw and handles all types of going. With enough tactical pace to take-up a handy position, his main rivals are likely to be spotting him a hefty break turning for home and I don’t think they’re good enough to run him down. Confident he’ll be winning.
BET: WIN
ODDS - $4 @ Palmerbet
