There aren't many races in this country that can trace their beginnings back to the 1800's but the G2 Villiers Stakes is one of them.
It headlines a pretty solid weekend of racing for this time of year with Black Type races in both Brisbane, Sydney and even Werribee.
Who's Hot?
Liam Birchley has had six winners from his last 18 starters at a strike rate of 33.3%. He'll be a busy boy this weekend with runners in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
At the Sunshine Coast tonight he'll start Finnero (Race 7 No. 1), at Doomben tomorrow he saddles up Punishing (Race 4 No. 1) and Pepperano (Race 7 No. 7), at the Gold Coast he has Syn City (Race 1 No. 5), at Randwick he'll run Boom Shucka (Race 3 No. 3) and on Sunday in the Listed Werribee Cup he has Pop 'n' Scotch (Race 6 No. 8).
RANDWICK
*** At time of publication the track was rated a Good 4. The forecast is for a partly cloudy day.***
Villiers Stakes (Group 2, 1600m, quality handicap)
*** There are no early scratchings ***
Looks like we'll have just the three runners under double figures come race time.
Happy Clapper may be coming off a win in a BM85 but he was five weeks between runs and jumping from 1200m to 1500m with 60.5kg. A lightly raced, progressive type who has won five of his last six starts and drops to the 53kg limit here he should be able to get a lovely smother from the good draw and Brenton Avdulla is unbeaten on him.
Happy Clapper may be coming off a win in a BM85 but he was five weeks between runs and jumping from 1200m to 1500m with 60.5kg. A lightly raced, progressive type who has won five of his last six starts and drops to the 53kg limit here he should be able to get a lovely smother from the good draw and Brenton Avdulla is unbeaten on him.
Telepathic is dropping back to 1600m after an easy last start win at 2000m. It's a path trainer Chris Waller has followed before in Randwick feature miles. The knock is she's had three runs at this track and distance and has never placed. The barrier draw hasn't been kind to her though.
God's In Him on the other hand is a bit of a Randwick specialist with three wins and a third from his last four outings here and he won at this track and distance earlier this year beating subsequent G1 winner Good Project. Hoop Dwayne Dunn travels north of the Murray for the first time this season to ride him.
The Listed Festival Stakes (below) is the traditional lead-up for this race so now I'll take a lot at the horses coming via that contest. Some of the runs were better than they look on paper because the backmarkers had no hope given it was a sprint home. Having said that I don't think they'll be out to break any land speed records in front here so we could have a very similar race.
Mighty Lucky (first) goes up 1kg for winning his first race in 19 months. A firm track and a good barrier are in his favour.God's In Him on the other hand is a bit of a Randwick specialist with three wins and a third from his last four outings here and he won at this track and distance earlier this year beating subsequent G1 winner Good Project. Hoop Dwayne Dunn travels north of the Murray for the first time this season to ride him.
The Listed Festival Stakes (below) is the traditional lead-up for this race so now I'll take a lot at the horses coming via that contest. Some of the runs were better than they look on paper because the backmarkers had no hope given it was a sprint home. Having said that I don't think they'll be out to break any land speed records in front here so we could have a very similar race.
It's Somewhat (second) remains at the same weight and it was a good run for a horse who hadn't been seen on a racetrack for 12 weeks. The worry is he'll have to give 4-6kg to half of his rivals and overcome a tricky barrier draw. Jockey James McDonald could win on a broomstick at the moment but he's friendless ($8 out to $10) in early betting.
Zanbagh (fourth) drops 1kg as do most of the others. She made up good ground late in a leader dominated race and was just over a length off the winner. She's going to need the breaks to go her way though because she's drawn very wide and will have to be ridden for luck but she is racing in fine fettle at the moment.
Red Excitement (fifth) drops half a kilo and he was another who got home well off a farcical tempo. He won the Listed Manifold Stakes at Flemington back in January and he's a three-time winner here at Headquarters. Unbeaten in two goes at the 1600m but the barrier is a nightmare. Kerrin McEvoy rode a treble at Goulburn yesterday.
Red Excitement (fifth) drops half a kilo and he was another who got home well off a farcical tempo. He won the Listed Manifold Stakes at Flemington back in January and he's a three-time winner here at Headquarters. Unbeaten in two goes at the 1600m but the barrier is a nightmare. Kerrin McEvoy rode a treble at Goulburn yesterday.
Ninth Legion (sixth) did what he always did which was run an honest race and be thereabouts at the end. Just look at his recent runs. Fourth in the G3 Sandown Stakes beaten a length and a half. Sixth in the Listed Sale Cup beaten a length and a half. Sixth in the G2 Shannon Stakes beaten two and a quarter. That's him for you.
Frespanol (seventh) was asked to do way too much in a slowly run race. I don't think he'll be that far back tomorrow from the inside barrier especially given this is the lightest weight he has carried in quite some time. Two starts here at the Randwick mile for a win and trainer Gai Waterhouse does win the odd big mile race here at Randwick.
I'm Imposing (eighth) is another who got way back and did well to be as close as he was at the finish under the big weight. Unfortunately as I've already outlined I don't see a lot of speed in this race either which does nothing to improve his chances. He did finish second in this race last year.
Puccini impressed in his first run for new trainer Darren Weir when a gutsy second in the G3 Eclipse Stakes when he faced the breeze for the entire trip. He meets Casino Dancer a kilo and a half better off for that three quarter length defeat and he is a four-time winner at the mile including a G1 Thorndon Mile in NZ, a G2 and two G3's. Nasty barrier.
Rhythm To Spare has lumped 60kg to victory at his last two starts so he'll appreciate some weight relief here. He's a six-time winner at the mile and he makes his own luck up on the speed so from barrier eight I think he'll end up in a pretty good spot in the run. If he gets a soft lead like he did two runs back at Flemington he'll take some running down.
Malice carries the same weight here that he did in the G1 Epsom Handicap when a three and a half length seventh (below) behind Winx. He has won at this track and distance but his overall record at Randwick is poor (8:1-0-2) as is his record at 1600m (4:1-0-0). I'm looking elsewhere.
Casino Dancer is crazy odds for a horse who has been in such consistent form of late. After 48 starts they finally decided to put on the blinkers and she's since won twice at Stakes level and also been placed twice in four runs. Prior to that she'd won just one race in the last two years.
I'm going wide here because it looks an open race. Good punting!
Locky's Selections
6. Rhythm To Spare
11. Casino Dancer
16. Happy Clapper
10. Frespanol
OTHER RACES
16. Happy Clapper
10. Frespanol
OTHER RACES
Razor Sharp Handicap (Listed, 1200m, quality handicap)
Dublin Lass (Randwick Race 8 No. 3) got me the coin last time and I'm staying solid. She won't be any flash price but she does look well weighted here again and draws a favourable barrier for the second start in a row. The stable is flying. Seven top two finishes from nine attempts at 1200m - two of them right here at Randwick.
Lough Neagh Stakes (Listed, 1350m, quality handicap)
Gundy Spirit (Doomben Race 8 No. 8) is a bit of a specialist at the Doomben 1350m with three wins and two seconds from seven starts. He beat all bar Didntcostalot last start on that leader's highway and at this stage of his prep last Winter he was only two lengths off Charlie Boy in the G3 BRC Sprint at this course and distance.
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