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The Randwick Wrap: March 3

by Alex Steedman ,
6 years ago

3 minute read

Race by race recap of key performers and ones to watch moving forward from Saturday's Chipping Norton Stakes meeting at Randwick.

Chipping Norton Stakes Day was all about the return of Winx and the Champion mare delivered on the anticipation as she cantered to victory in the feature event.

Winx Picture: Steve Hart

It was the race prior, the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) which profiles as the race to follow moving forward.

The winner Crack Me Up showed his credentials for the Doncaster Mile as did Egg Tart, Interlocuter and McCreery.

Race 1: Fui San - Highway Handicap (1600m)

Jason Collett gave Fui San a lovely run, in on the fence behind the early lead. Once he peeled off the leaders back in the straight, it was over pretty quickly.


He’s run to a Timeform rating of 79.

That was the last Highway Handicap until after The Championships.

There are a couple of nice races for him over the mile at Warwick Farm and Kembla Grange next fortnight.

Until then, his connections can be buzzing about the time their Benchmark 58 horse won at the same meeting as Winx!

Race 2: Just Shine - Benchmark 85 Handicap (2000m)

Saturday was the hat-trick for Just Shine. He’s run to a Timeform rating of 90. Clare Cunningham has this horse flying.


These lightly-raced types who find a new level once getting up over ground tend to string a few wins together.

There is a 1900m Benchmark 85 at Rosehill in two weeks they should go to.

The runner up Tamarack should head that way as well. He was good to the line. He’s another who like Just Shine has found a new level in his past couple of runs up over ground.

Race 3: Santos - Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m)

The penny has really dropped for Santos this prep. He won the Pierro Plate first up now this. He produced a Timeform rating of 109.


The Skyline Stakes isn’t renown as being the form line for a subsequent Slipper winner. Dance Hero was the last to claim Skyline Stakes/Slipper double in 2004.

Spin was excellent first up. He’ll likely contest the Pago Pago in two weeks time where he can confirm his place in the Slipper field a week later.

Santos Picture: Steve Hart

Legend Of Condor in third was luckless. He was caught three wide but still kept on finding.

They’re going to back him up in the Todman on Saturday or the Black Opal Stakes on Sunday. A strong result should guarantee that Golden Slipper start for the colt.

Race 4: Seabrook - Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m)

Seabrook forced to travel wide from the draw but was still a cut above in the straight.

She’s edged past a nice filly in Fiesta to win and recorded a Timeform rating of 107.


107 is about on par for a Sweet Embrace. [n[Crystal Lily[/n] was the last filly to claim the Sweet Embrace Stakes - Golden Slipper double in 2010.

Hugh Bowman post race labelled Seabrook as a perfect Golden Slipper horse. That’s an impressive wrap.

Seabrook Picture: Steve Hart

Prairie Fire will also head north after running fourth in the Blue Diamond so Mick Price has a nice dual pronged attack for the Golden Slipper in three weeks.

Race 5: Crack Me Up - Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m)

Crack Me Up is a great addition to the Baker stable. He arrived at Warwick Farm on Thursday and 48 hours later, Bjorn pocketed $8500 prizemoney because of him.


The win netted the Mossman gelding a Timeform rating of 117, that’s six pounds clear of his Villiers Stakes win.

He’s of course exempt from ballot in the Doncaster because of that Villiers win. He’s clearly right on track after Saturday.

Crack Me Up Picture: Steve Hart

It was good to see Egg Tart return like that in running fourth. Her spring prep was a forgettable one.

Interlocuter and particular McCreery were good late out wide. They’ll both be better out to a mile.

Race 6: Winx - Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m)

Winx couldn’t have been more impressive. The daughter of Street Cry had the race in her keeping a long way from home. She won by seven lengths and jockey Hugh Bowman barely had to do a thing.


We’ve got her running to a Timeform rating of 132. Scary about that is she tends to produce such a figure when winning her Grand Finals, ie; Cox Plate’s and Queen Elizabeth’s, not so much first up.

16 Group 1 wins. She’s an absolute star. She’ll go to the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) now in three weeks time then the Queen Elizabeth.

After what she produced on Saturday, it’s hard to see her being stopped this autumn.

Only Grand Armee and Tulloch have claimed back to back Queen Elizabeth’s. Winx looks set to be the first mare to achieve the feat come April 14.

Race 7: Shoals - Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m)

After her poor first up run at Caulfield, a lot didn’t want a bar of Shoals. She’s put it behind her pretty quickly.


The Fastnet Rock filly has run right back up to around her best on Saturday, producing a rating of 112.

The stable have some big goals on the agenda for her. Firstly the Coolmore Classic then potentially the Diamond Jubilee during Royal Ascot.

Shoals Picture: Steve Hart

If successful in the Coolmore next fortnight, she’d be the first filly since Regal Cheer back in 2006 to claim the Surround Stakes-Coolmore Classic double.

The placegetters Torvill and Rimraam will appreciate a bit more ground the way they were attacking the line.

Race 8: Dixie Blossoms - Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m)

Dixie Blossoms was the class mare and was pitchforked into the event under the Set Weights plus Penalties.

That class edge was there for all to see in the straight.


She ran to a Timeform rating of 114. That’s the same figure she ran to winning the race last year.

The Street Sense mare will head to the Coolmore Classic next. She ran third in the race last year.

Dixie Blossoms Picture: Steve Hart

Interestingly, the last horse to claim the Guy Walter Stake - Coolmore Classic double was Danni Martine in 2005, trained by none other than the man himself, Guy Walter.

Outside of Dixie Blossoms, Raiment was good second up off a generous break.

Race 9: Osborne Bulls - Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m)

There was a flood of money for Osborne Bulls on Saturday and he justified it. The Street Cry gelding settled midfield and really unleashed in the straight.


He’s run to a Timeform rating of 107. That’s a figure which suggests he won’t look out of place at stakes level.

He was only a Benchmark 81 horse prior to Saturday so James Cummings can keep working him through the grades.

That said, a stakes race like the Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill in three weeks looks mighty tempting for a horse who is clearly up to it.

The other eye catcher was Lovani in fourth. She’s arrived at the Brad Widdup stable as a key subject in a rather controversial case. Based on that first up run though, we in Sydney will be remembering her for some successes in her upcoming preps.


tags

Crack Me Up Egg Tart Interlocuter McCreery Fui San Just Shine Tamarack Santos Dance Hero Spin Legend Of Condor Seabrook Prairie Fire Winx Shoals Dixie Blossoms Raiment Osborne Bulls Lovani