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Selections, best bets and value plays from Chris Scholtz for the Winx Stakes meeting Randwick on August 24 plus Trial Watch and Blackbook Reports.

RANDWICK August 24

Good 4; Rail: 3 metres

WINX STAKES – The first Group One of the season features eight G1 winners and as usual it's not so much about current form but fitness levels as every acceptor is resuming off spells of between 56 and 175 days.

Last year's winner (6) FANGIRL, also second in 2022, heads the market despite being the one coming off the longest break of 175 days after suffering a leg injury in March. She's had two easy trials plus an exhibition gallop and rarely disappoints when fresh – as a three time G1 winner she rates as the one to beat but she is poor value until she assures us that she is back to her best. Her trainer Chris Waller, an eight time winner of this race including three with Winx, has five other acceptors to help confuse the issue.

I'm wary of (5) RIFF ROCKET as he is an exceptional talent with the profile to be an outstanding WFA performer as a 4YO. He is unbeaten in three first-up starts and won the Derby at his only Randwick start. Dismiss him at your peril as he was held down in his soft trials with plenty to offer. The conditions will suit (9) ZOUGOTCHA first-up off her good trials. She swept through the autumn unbeaten with three wins in the best races for her sex and maps to get a lovely trail behind the obvious leader (11) TROPICAL SQUALL.

The map also favours (10) SEMANA to race on the pace and her strong trial win showed she has retained plenty of residual fitness from her Brisbane campaign. (7) VIA SISTINA, (8) ATISHU and (2) DETONATOR JACK have all done enough in conditioning trials of varying intensity to have them ready to perform first-up on an improving track.

RACE 8: (5) RIFF ROCKET; (9) ZOUGOTCHA; (6) FANGIRL; (10) SEMANA, (7) VIA SISTINA; (11) TROPICAL SQUALL

Best Bets

RACE 5 (2) ELIYASS: Quality French import made quite an impression in his Australian debut in June, recording a dominant win on a Heavy 9 in the Lord Mayors Cup over this course and distance that took his record to seven wins from nine starts with five of those victories over this trip. Has paid a penalty with a 3kg increase but two strong trials in the interim indicate he has taken a lot of benefit from his first local start. Note he has never raced on a good turf surface – all his starts have been on soft, heavy or synthetic tracks.

RACE 7 (14) OUR KOBISON: It's a class test for this talented sprinter but he's the 1200m record holder at Rosehill and his first-up win over 1000m at this course when he let down off a fast pace under 59kg is certain to have improved his fitness for the step up in distance. Rates to win with a 6kg drop in weight while the jockey switch from McDonald to McEvoy due to his light handicap is no issue as the latter gave him a peach ride when he smashed his rivals in his record breaking Rosehill win in February. Could do it again from his favourable barrier.

RACE 9 (11) COMMEMORATIVE: One of the biggest mares in training with the talent to match her imposing frame. She keeps improving with racing and a super trial on August 12 has her set to take up where she left off in May when she swamped a Listed field over 1100m at the Scone carnival. Zac Lloyd knows her well and his job will be to ensure he gives her plenty of galloping room under her light weight as she will unleash off a fast pace.

Selections

RACE 1: (5) WELL TIMED; (2) Bundeena; (14) Ces Soirees La; (4) Smashing Eagle

RACE 2: (5) KUREDER; (4) Kapakiri; (6) Awesome Wonder; (2) Strathtay

RACE 3: (10) COOL STORM; (16) Kreon; (7) Don't Call Me Honey; (8) Palazzo Prince 

RACE 4: (4) PEACE OFFICER; (12) Medatsu; (1) West Of Africa; (13) Unlimited   

RACE 5: (2) ELIYASS; (7) Redstone Well; (6) Touristic; (4) Sir Lucan 

RACE 6: (1) MANAAL; (4 Ameena; (2) Erno's Cube; (9) Zeitung     

RACE 7: (14) OUR KOBISON; (8) Joliestar; (6) Airman; (10) Encap

RACE 8: (5) RIFF ROCKET; (9) Zougotcha; (6) Fangirl; 10) Semana 

RACE 9: (11) COMMEMORATIVE; (4) Kimochi; (10) The Black Cloud; (2) Opal Ridge

RACE 10: (7) SPRING LEE; (9) Invader Zim; (10) World Alliance; (4) King Of Naples

Why They Can Win….

RACE 1: (5) WELL TIMED - Best work late when resuming over 1100m. Extra trip suits and meets the winner 2kg better.

RACE 2: (4) KUREDER – Tough last start second this course and distance. McDonald sticks but Waller has another three.  

RACE 3: (10) COOL STORM – Back in grade and shorter trip more suitable. Has the pace to exploit inside draw.

RACE 4: (4) PEACE OFFICER - Keeps finding the line under big weights. Benefits from a claim this time and firmer going will help.

RACE 6: (1) MANAAL – Top shelf filly with super Randwick form. Has the class to overcome her weight penalty.

RACE 10: (7) SPRING LEE - Nothing went right when resuming. Perfect progression for her second-up. 

TRIAL WATCH REPORT

NOTED TRIAL RUNNERS – August 24-26

RANDWICK SATURDAY: Manaal (R6); Ameena (R6); Hallet (R6); Southport Tycoon (R7); Airman (R7); Joliestar (R7); Detonator Jack (R8); Just Fine (R8); Via Sistina (R8); Semana (R8); Kimochi (R9); The Black Cloud (R9); Commemorative (R9); Panic (R10); Flying Sultan (R10) 

GOULBUN SUNDAY: Chorlton Lane (R7)

RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: Wave Breaker; Agenda Setter; Enriched; Starmae; Lilac; Drifting; Gatsby's; Autumn Glow; Tom Kitten; Runranirun; Theblade; Mogul Monarch; Golden Path; Schwarz; Our Kobison; Maikrow; Zeitung; Williamsburg; Aces In Bloom; House Of Cards; Visual; Iron Hawk; Winchester; Lost; Global Empire

TRIAL POINTERS

ROSEHILL August 20: Eager to see what heights AIRMAN can rise to this season. Having his first trial since April he was trucking in third place in his 900m trial and was never asked for an effort over the last 200m to easily hold his ground behind the smart winner Renosu (54.66; 34.19).

WARWICK FARM August 12: Another round of four black type heats saw several notable names start their spring preparations. In Heat 1 over 1000m SEMANA dominated from start to finish with impressive work over the last 200m to win by almost four lengths (59.18; 34.95). Heat 2 (900m) saw MUMBAI MUSE lead and respond to riding to hold off ENCAP and ERNO'S CUBE (53.92; 34.34). The third heat (900m) was the fastest (52.32; 34.15) with the G1 winners MANAAL and SOUTHPORT TYCOON showing their class to work home stylishly from the rear under soft rides. MANAAL showed nice improvement off her first-up trial to record a classy win and should perform boldly fresh. Another top shelf filly KIMOCHI also worked well within herself to finish third in her first trial since March. Godolphin's classy prospect COMMEMORATIVE was a standout in her in her 795m heat (46.16; 33.08).on the inside grass in her first trial since she won the Listed Denise's Joy at the Scone carnival in May. Zac Lloyd was swinging to her as she got into her work from the back half over the last 200m to finish a charging second.

ROSEHILL August 6: A classy squad of Group stars in the four black type heats. In Heat 1 (1000m) TROPICAL SQUALL led from start to finish (61.26; 33.93) under no pressure while RIFF ROCKET was allowed to find his legs out the back before working nicely to the line. Heat 2 (1000m) was much slower than the first heat (63.48; 34.27) with ZARDOZI taking it up at her leisure. Easy conditioning work for FANGIRL as she held her position from start to finish under no pressure and was less than two lengths off the winner at the finish. There is rarely any pressure applied in these black type heats with horses landing in a position and holding their place from start to finish. That was the case in Heat 4 over 900m (55.55; 33.60) with JOLIESTAR settling second and ATISHU working late to finish fourth. Slow time overall but they did sprint up the last 200m for the quickest closing sectional of the four heats.

RANDWICK August 5: Three quality trials on the Kensington track for the Group horses. In Heat 1 (1250m) another impressive piece of work from DETONATOR JACK to win the heat with plenty in reserve, just as he did in his recent trial at Newcastle. Slow time (78.10; 35.22) but had plenty in reserve through the line. In Heat 2 (850m) LADY LAGUNA and BLANC DE BLANC held their ground well behind the first pair over the line.

WARWICK FARM July 26: There were two black type heats on the course proper with a couple of G1 performers starting off their spring preps. In Heat 1 (1000m) it was easy work for the G1 ATC Metropolitan winner JUST FINE to finish second in a nice start to his spring build up. In Heat 2 (900m) a strong return from the G1 Australian Guineas SOUTHPORT TYCOON working home easily from the rear for third.

ROSEHILL July 23: They don't go much slower in 900m trials (56.60; 34.84) than the Group heat won by JOLIESTAR. She jumped into the bridle from the start and walked them through the first 600m before any speed came into the trial. She maintained her advantage to the line with nothing was put under pressure. RIFF ROCKET was minding his business out the back to finish almost five lengths from the winner. In the other black type heat over 900m TROPICAL SQUALL led and ran along to record a time almost 1.6 seconds quicker than the Joliestar heat (55.03; 34.45). The Waller mares ZOUGOTCHA, FANGIRL and ATISHU were never asked for more than a working gallop.

NEWCASTLE July 18: Some classy types took advantage of a good surface on the course proper to start their spring preps. DETONATOR JACK had only  a short break since he ran in the Doomben Cup in late May. Stood out in the Group heat over 920m (55.27; 34.95) working strongly from the back half over the last 400m to finish a closing third under no pressure.

WARWICK FARM July 15: The big names on show included ZARDOZI. She had an easy trial but her class was evident in the manner of her work through the line

BLACKBOOK REPORT

ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS – August 24-25

RANDWICK SATURDAY: Unlimited (R4); Touristic (R5); Spring Lee (R10)

MOONEE VALLEY SATURDAY: Last Druid (R2); Lionel (R5); Holymanz (R7)

DOOMBEN SATURDAY: Triple Money (R2); Ready Azz Eva (R4); Tony Be (R5); Boom Torque (R8)

GOULBURN SUNDAY: Blaze A Trail (R7)

BLACKBOOKERS – Selected August 17

(Follow for next 3 starts)

BATTLETON; CEOLWULF; KIRRIBILLI; LE MANS; THUNDERLIPS

RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: Kundalini; Daytona; Hellavadancer; Yorkshire; Amigo; House Of Cards; Shiny New Deel; Invader Zim; Rogue Bear; Piastri; Madame Odette; Kapakiri; Batrana; Aramco; Don Diego De Vega; Rezone; Wyclif; Matisse; Tiffany Valentine; Craig; Celebrity Prince; Arqana; Freedom Rally