3 minute read
There's plenty of racing action for punters to get stuck into on Saturday including at Sunshine Coast where a nine race card is programmed.
Race 6 Sunshine Coast
Know Thyself @ 2.30
Race 8 Randwick
King Of The Castle @ 6.0
Race 8 Flemington
Windstorm @ 7.50
Know Thyself for Guineas glory
The sixth race on the Sunshine Coast card is the 1600m Group 3 Double R Group Winx Guineas.
The race is set to take place on a heavy 9 track with Xidaki expected to have his supporters for the Peter & Paul Snowden team.
The gelding has won twice from eight starts including at Listed level in the 1400m Canberra Guineas which was held on a soft 5 track at Canberra in March.
The three-year-old was freshened following that effort and registered a sixth in the 1200m Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas here in May on his first start back.
The youngster took a step forward when a close second against older rivals in a 1400m Benchmark 78 handicap at Randwick last time and he is one to note here.
However, KNOW THYSELF has been impressive in winning three of his four previous starts and he is selected to deliver a win here.
The pick went unbeaten in his first prep following up a 1200m maiden win at Newcastle with a Class 1 success over 1400m at Scone.
The gelding raced on a good 4 track on each occasion and lost his unbeaten record when runner-up over 1250m at Canterbury when resuming 29th May.
The selection was beaten less than a length on a soft 5 track that day but returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion at Rosehill last month.
The son of The Autumn Sun won by over five lengths when contesting a 1400m Class 3 handicap that day and notably raced on a heavy 9 surface.
The Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich team can boast a 31% strike-rate (4/13) in the last 30 days and their representative can provide them with a Group 3 win here.
King to rule in Winter Stakes
The Listed Winter Stakes is set to take place as the eighth race on a ten race card at Randwick.
The 1400m event has attracted a field of twelve with Iknowastar expected to jump as favourite following a string top three finishes this prep.
Those top three finishes include a win when contesting a 1600m Benchmark 94 handicap held on a soft 5 track at Randwick in May.
The four-year-old has recorded placed efforts in Eagle Farm Listed races on both subsequent starts including when second in last week's Tattersall's Mile.
The gelding races on a forecast heavy track for just the third time in his career here and with the going to suit KING OF THE CASTLE is the pick.
Joe Pride's representative won on a heavy 8 track when contesting a Benchmark 88 handicap at Kembla Grange in November last year.
The seven-year-old was spelled following two third place finishes at Randwick the following month and resumed with a Listed eighth over 1300m at Scone.
The selection took a step forward when a close third in a 1300m Benchmark 94 handicap held on a heavy 9 surface at Randwick last month.
While the son of Castledale could finish only fifth in a 1600m handicap at Flemington last time he was slowly away on that occasion.
Alysha Collett rides for the first time here and her mount looks up to returning to winning ways.
Windstorm to deliver Flemington victory
The VRC-CRV Winter Championships Series Final, a 1600m Listed race is the penultimate contest on the Flemington card.
Gavin Bedggood sends out WINDSTORM here with the gelding the selection to register the eighth win of his career.
The pick has been lightly-raced raced in recent years having returned from in excess of a three year absence when sixth at Flemington in February.
The seven-year-old has made four subsequent starts finishing runner-up in two of his last three outings including in a 1620m handicap at Flemington 22nd June.
The selection has been slowly away in his two most recent starts and has been ridden from off the pace by his jockey here Beau Mertens as a result.
The son of Redoute's Choice has gone well on wet tracks in the past and he is taken to record his first win of the year.
