The following is a selection of Australian racing tips for Saturday, April 8. The focus is on Day Two of The Championships at Randwick, which includes the Australian Oaks, Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Sydney Cup. Caulfield and the W.A.T.C. Derby at Ascot are also covered. More tips and previews will be added as they become available.
Can Winx make it 17 in a row this weekend?
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Best bets of the weekend
Ascot Race 8: No.1 Gatting
Caulfield Race 3: No.6 Toffee Nose
Caulfield Race 4: No.11 Miss Strathallan
Caulfield Race 7: No.1 Leebaz (PLACE)
Caulfield Race 9: No.1 Tuscan Sling (PLACE)
Randwick Race 4: No.9 Pomelo
Randwick Race 5: No.2 Impending (EACH WAY)
Randwick Race 6: No.1 Lasqueti Spirit (EACH WAY)
Randwick Race 7: No.9 Winx
Ascot
Race 1: 4. Snow Lord
Race 2: 10. Dynamite Dream
Race 3: 9. Duck Feet – best bet
Race 4: 2. Dendee
Race 5: 8. More Aces
Race 6: 3. Ripper Rio
Race 7: 5. Quilista
Race 8: 13. Very Tempting
Race 9: 11. Royal Missile
Race 8:
BACK (WIN) Gatting
Betfair – Feature Race Reports:
Race 8:
Confidence Level: Low
BACK (WIN) Gatting
Race 8:
ROYAL STAR just missed in the Oaks but may have taken improvement from that run. Fillies have a decent record in the Derby so expect her to go close again. GATTING won the main lead-up for the boys and should be finishing off strongly once again. Rates highly. VERY TEMPTING was the Oaks winner so if the top pick starts favourite she must also be a chance. Respect. ROCK WITH YOU creates interest coming off a 13-length win in country Victoria. Connections won’t have come all this way to go home empty-handed.
Caulfield
Race 1: 5. Shamar
Race 2: 13. Rockstar Rebel
Race 3: 6. Toffee Nose
Race 4: 11. Miss Strathallan
Race 5: 6. Gun Case
Race 6: 2. Ken’s Dream
Race 7: 2. Great Esteem – best bet – 3.5 stars
Race 8: 5. Hans Holbein
Race 9: 7. Lake Como
Quaddie: 1,2,9,11 / 2,4,6 / 1,5,6 / 2,4,7,9
Race 1: PLUTOCRACY
Race 2: YACHT CLUB
Race 3: SWORD OF LIGHT
Race 4: BAYKOOL
Race 5: THERMAL CURRENT
Race 6: HEAR THE CHANT
Race 7: LEEBAZ
Race 8: BOOM TIME
Race 9: TUSCAN SLING
Quaddie: 1,2,11,12 / 1,2,4 / 1,3,5 / 1,2,4,8
BEST EACH-WAYS: Race 2 #13 ROCKSTAR REBEL / Race 3 #6 TOFFEE NOSE
BEST VALUE: Race 4 #13 BINT EL BEDU / Race 8 #9 MUJADALE
Race 1 12:25pm 1200m (2yo Hcp)
2. KOBAYASHI from 6, 1, 3
Race 2 1:00pm 1800m (BM78)
13. ROCKSTAR REBEL from 1, 11, 7
Race 3 1:35pm 1600m (3yo fillies’ hcp)
6. TOFFEE NOSE from 1, 10, 3
Race 4 2:15pm 2400m (Galilee Series Final)
11. MISS STRATHALLAN from 13, 4, 5
Race 5 2:55pm 1000m
6. GUN CASE from 1, 10, 9
Race 6 3:35pm 1200m (3yo hcp)
5. ARTIE DEE TWO from 3, 4, 11
Race 7 4:15pm 1800m (hcp)
1. LEEBAZ from 2, 4, 6
Race 8 4:55pm 2400m (hcp)
9. MUJADALE from 5, 1, 7
Race 9 5:30pm 1100m (fillies’ and mares’ hcp)
1. TUSCAN SLING from 7, 4, 2
Race 6:
Looking for a quick spike from FALCOOL off a luckless 2nd-up run. Drawn for a perfect run, if he finds anything like his fresh win he’ll be hard to hold out. ASHLOR had no luck going back last start. He’ll race much closer from the good gate and be fighting out the finish. KEN’S DREAM drops straight into the box seat and should be right at his peak for this. ALTER CALL has real talent, respect any betting moves for him and ARTIE DEE TWO charges home if he can get cover. Deep race.
Race 7:
GREAT ESTEEM does his best racing on this track and looks ready to peak. In ok with Mertens claim, he’ll go straight to the front and should take some catching. ADIRONDACK can bounce back at odds on top of the ground. He’ll get a perfect run. LEEBAZ is unbeaten at the trip. Sent south for a dry track, he’ll be a big improver. Big betting watch NEVIS resuming over this trip with no public hit outs.
Race 8:
HANS HOLBEIN couldn’t have been more impressive in a real staying test 2nd-up. With good speed on again here and fitter again, he should be tough to hold out. BOOM TIME does no work from the good gate and he’s in ok with the claim. He’s a real danger. DE LITTLE ENGINE can rush home late off the good speed and LUCQUES is ready to find his best from the good gate.
Race 9:
LAKE COMO looks to have taken a huge step this prep going on her dominant fresh win. If she holds that or improves she’ll take catching from the good gate. ALMIGHTY GIRL will love getting back onto a dry track. Suited by a strong speed she’ll charge home. GREY STREET always fires fresh and comes off a solid jump out. TUSCAN SLING and ATMOSPHERICAL can both charge home if they were to find their best.
Morphettville
Race 1: 1 Tabbing
Race 2: 3. Freeze Over
Race 3: 6. C’est Beau La Vie
Race 4: 3. Brugal Reward
Race 5: 5. Fasntet Latina
Race 6: 5. Counter Pulse – best bet
Race 7: 2. Pretty Punk
Race 8: 3. Odeon
Randwick
Race 1: 3. Toga Picta
Race 2: 4. Bryneich
Race 3: 1. Formality – 4 star bet
Race 4: 9. Pomelo – best bet – 5 stars
Race 5: 2. Impending
Race 6: 4. Nurse Kitchen
Race 7: 9. Winx
Race 8: 10. Penglai Pavilion – 3.5 star bet
Race 9: 7. Danish Twist
Race 10: 2. Artistry
Quaddie: 9 / 1,7,10 / 1,3,6,7 / 1,2,3,4,11
Race 5:
BACK (WIN) Impending
BACK (WIN) Tactical Advantage
LAY (WIN) Global Glamour
Race 6:
BACK (WIN) or BACK-TO-LAY Lasqueti Spirit
BACK (WIN) Nurse Kitchen
Race 7:
BACK (WIN) Winx
BACK (PLACE) Harlem
LAY (PLACE) The United States
Race 8:
BACK (WIN) Assign
BACK (WIN) Libran
Race 9:
LAY (E/W) Foxplay
Race 10:
BACK (WIN) Ocean Embers
BACK (WIN) Thames Court
LAY (WIN) Ravi
Betfair – Feature Race Reports:
Race 3:
Confidence Level: Medium
BACK (WIN) Formality
Race 5:
Confidence Level: Medium
BACK (WIN) Impending
LAY (WIN) Global Glamour
Race 6:
Confidence Level: Medium
BACK (WIN) Lasqueti Spirit
LAY (WIN) Bonneval
Race 7:
Confidence Level: Low
BACK (WIN) The United States
BACK (WIN) Winx
BACK (WIN) Happy Clapper
LAY (WIN) Hartnell
Race 8:
Confidence Level: Medium
BACK (WIN) Big Duke
Race 9:
Confidence Level: Medium
BACK (WIN) Dixie Blossoms
BACK (WIN) Extensible
LAY (WIN) Foxplay
LAY (WIN) Silent Sedition
Race 10:
Confidence Level: Low
BACK (WIN) Ocean Embers
BACK (WIN) Thames Court
LAY (WIN) Ravi
Race 6
Best:
Harlow Gold
Nurse Kitchen
Bonneval
Value:
Devise
Race 8
Best:
Big Duke
Assign
Who Shot Thebarman
Value:
Chance To Dance
Race 1: Myraahib – best bet
Race 2 Echo Effect – best bet
Race 3: Serena Bay
Race 4: Pomelo – best bet
Race 5: Glenall
Race 6: Lasqueti Spirit
Race 7: Winx
Race 8: Who Shot Thebarman
Race 9: Silent Sedition
Race 10: Artistry
Quaddie: 9 / 1,2,7,10 / 1,2,3,6 / 1,2,10,13
BEST EACH-WAY: Race 1 #9 WHISPERED SECRET
BEST VALUE: Race 4 #12 HEAVENLY ANNA / Race 6 #2 FIRST SEAL
Race 1 11:30am 1600m
9. WHISPERED SECRET from 8, 1, 6
Race 2 12:10pm 1400m (South Pacific Classic)
1. ECHO EFFECT from 8, 6, 2
Race 3 12:45pm 1200m (Percy Sykes Stakes)
4. SERENA BAY from 2, 3, 1
Race 4 1:20pm 1400m (Provincial Championships Final)
9. POMELO from 12, 5, 10
Race 5 1:55pm 1200m (Arrowfield 3YO Sprint)
5. GLENALL from 11, 12, 10
Race 6 2:35pm 2400m (Australian Oaks)
1. LASQUETI SPIRIT from 3, 4, 5
Race 7 3:15pm 2000m (Queen Elizabeth Stakes)
9. WINX from 3, 1, 4
Race 8 3:55pm 3200m (Sydney Cup)
7. BIG DUKE from 1, 5, 11
Race 9 4:35pm 1600m (Queen of the Turf)
2. FIRST SEAL from 1, 7, 4
Race 10 5:15pm 1200m (Sapphire Stakes)
1. TYCOON TARA from 2, 11, 4
Race 6:
BONNEVAL crosses the Tasman on the back of three straight wins culminating in a NZ Oaks victory last start. The NZ form has been dominant in the three-year-old races over the carnival and no surprise to see that continue here. LASQUETI SPIRIT won the Crown Oaks at Flemington with a bold front running display. Terrific in the Chipping Norton three runs back but well beaten last two. Comes back to her own age and sex here and will take plenty of running down. NURSE KITCHEN charged home late to just miss in the Vinery in a run that had Oaks written all over it. Will be charging home late again. WAKING MOMENT looked a likely Oaks prospect coming from well back to win the Adrian Knox last Saturday. Still scope for improvement and shouldn’t be under-estimated.
Race 7:
WINX Champion mare and only extreme bad luck will prevent her from 17 wins in a row. THE UNITED STATES finished runner-up this race last year and looks right on track for a similar finish after placing in the Ranvet last start. HARTNELL Back to his best when runner-up in the Ranvet but his best isn’t good enough to trouble WINX. A great chance for the quinella. HAPPY CLAPPER third this race last year after finishing runner-up in the Doncaster and looks a great chance of a repeat here after his runner-up finish in the Doncaster last week.
Race 8:
WHO SHOT THEBARMEN solid all three lead-up runs. Fifth in the Melbourne Cup in the Spring and preparation timed to reach his peak on Saturday. ALMOONQUITH improved run in the Mornington Cup last start. Is a winner at the trip and sixth in the Melbourne Cup last year. Goes in all the exotics peaking fourth-up. BIG DUKE five wins two seconds from last seven and a tough win in the Chairman’s last start with 58kg. Looks a major player down in the weights. LIBRAN runner-up this race last year and has been going okay in the lead-up races. 3.5kg more this year a genuine query.
Race 9:
SILENT SEDITION racing in great form winning the William Reid at Moonee Valley last start. Has won at the mile and the one to beat here under the WFA conditions against her own sex. HEAVENS ABOVE hit the line strongly to nail SILENT SEDITION late in the Coolmore. Meets that galloper better at the weights and has won at the mile. Definite winning chance again. FOXPLAY severely checked over the latter stages and should have been in the placings in the Vinery. Back to the mile ideal and just needs even luck in running from an awkward gate to be right in the finish. ZANBAGH kept coming to arrive in time to win the Emancipation last start. The likely wet track keeps her right in play again.
Race 10:
TYCOON TARA resumes on the back of a Wyong runner-up trial finish. Won the Missile on a heavy track resuming last time and looks ready to go fresh here. ARTISTRY kept fresh since winning the Maurice McCarten last start but racing well that way. Kept up to the mark with a Rosehill trial and a winning chance again. RAVI resumes on the back of a Wyong trial win. Just missed in the Sheraco resuming last time in and goes in everything fresh here. PAINTED FIRETAIL resumes on the back of a runner-up finish in a Warwick Farm trial. Canterbury winner resuming last time in and no surprise to see a forward showing here fresh at odds.
Toowoomba
Race 1: 2. Ruby Red Heart
Race 2: 3. Counter Meal
Race 3: 4. Always Sacred
Race 4: 5. All That Is
Race 5: 5. Passionflower
Race 6: 1. Dreams Aplenty
Race 7: 1. Cylinder Beach
Race 8: 6. Pinch River – best bet – 3.5 stars
Race 9: 2. Fiery Heights
Race 10: 7. Privlaka