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The Randwick Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the nine race program on July 7.
Helaku has improved sharply in his past two runs, winning them by a combined margin of nine lengths.
His latest success is a clear career peak and making it even more impressive is the son of Written Tycoon is still quite green.
As well as Helaku, Team Snowden had a pair of three-year-olds in Race 6 worth blackbooking, Island Missile and Hypnotist.
A majority of the field by the end of the day were looking for better ground out wider in the straight. While the inside fence was generally deemed a no go zone, a couple of runners first up in Invictus Prince and Tip Top still somehow managed to make late ground down it.
Race 1: Helaku - 2YO Handicap (1200m)
Off a pretty mediocre start to his career, Helaku has turned a corner in his past couple of runs.
The Written Tycoon gelding enjoyed a confidence booster at Muswellbrook two back and was dominant at Randwick on Saturday.
He’s still doing a bit wrong as well. The Team Snowden-trained juvenile wanted to overrace for the most part and despite that, Corey Brown had a lapful of horse turning for home.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 96 in pretty comfortable fashion on Saturday. Getting tested in early season 3YO stakes company shapes as the next logical task for him.
Blast debuted well in second. He’s by Dalakhani so is bred to appreciate ground. There is a 1500m 2YO Handicap at Rosehill for him in three weeks time.
Marmaris was good in third albeit rolled as favourite. He got too far back though and things were always going to be tough from there.
Race 2: Highway Sixtysix - Class 2 Highway Handicap (1200m)
It was a great way for Highway Sixtysix to kick off her prep. It’s not easy to fire fresh on wet tracks and you could tell the testing rain affected surface was taking its toll late on her.
75 is the figure we have her running to. She can build on the run with added fitness. There are a couple of suitable races for her in the coming weeks. Danny Williams can chase some more of that BOBS cash with her.
Nicconita was good out wide in second.
Roman Typhoon in fourth was squeezed up for room late. It was a good run by him. He’s only a Benchmark 54 horse. He could take beating in his next start dropping back to a country meeting somewhere. Jan Bowen has also nominated him to back up in the 1100m Highway Handicap at Rosehill this Saturday.
Race 3: Envy Of All - 3YO Benchmark 77 Handicap (1100m)
Envy Of All is a filly who loves a wet track and Kris Lees keeps finding them for her. She’s beat a small but handy field of three-year-olds on Saturday with a run we’ve rated 96.
There is a 1000m Benchmark 80 at Randwick in two weeks time where she could go.
The second placegetter Revenire can potentially go there as well. He’s had a great prep.
Bella Success was a real eye catcher in third. There is a 1200m Benchmark 75 for three-year-olds she can head to next fortnight which profiles like her race for the taking.
Race 4: La Chica Bella - Fillies and Mares Benchmark 81 Handicap (1600m)
La Chica Bella was dropping back in class and distance on her latest outing. Joe Pride placed her nicely.
The Pride stable has this great knack of successfully dropping their runners back in trip and on Saturday La Chica Bella has run to a Timeform rating of 95.
The daughter of Host is deep into her prep now but they should keep going with her. There is a Benchmark 90 for her over the Randwick Mile in two weeks. She’s not a big mare so she’d probably appreciate going to that race where she’d get no weight.
With such a big margin back to third, the only other one really worth talking about is Sepoy Acheva.
She looked good up to the mile. There are a couple of middle distance 3YO races at Rosehill in the next three weeks which she wouldn’t look out of place in. Chris Waller should have her peaking fourth up.
Race 5: Ombudsman - Benchmark 80 Handicap (2400m)
The Reliable Man’s are developing a bit of a reputation as stayers and Ombudsman has looked great since getting out past the mile.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 87 on Saturday. Chris Waller said post race he thinks the three-year-old could be a Newcastle Cup horse in the spring.
Ombudsman was only a Benchmark 65 horse on Saturday so there is plenty of fun to be had between now and getting up to Open company.
It will be interesting to see where Chris goes with him next. It seems the further they run him over the better he goes however there isn’t much in terms of staying races for him over the coming weeks.
Race 6: Seahampton - 3YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m)
Seahampton came up with the most eye catching win of the day. It netted her a Timeform rating of 88.
She’s a talent and may have produced that win despite not being entirely at home on wet tracks. She struggled badly on a Heavy 8 surface first up at Warwick Farm.
There is a fillies and mares Benchmark 80 Handicap at the course and trip next fortnight. She’d be hard to beat there fourth run from a spell.
Outside of her, there were a couple of Snowden runners, Hypnotist and Island Missile. Signs are encouraging for both of them early in their campaigns.
Race 7: Just Shine - Benchmark 90 Handicap (1800m)
Just Shine produced a winning display which was impressive in regards to both the horse and the stable.
Clare Cunningham has a strike rate of 23% this season. It’s generally assumed most emerging trainers have stables comprised predominantly of tried horses. If that’s the case with Clare, she could become a force in Sydney when she gets some younger stock in her stables.
Just Shine has run to a Timeform rating of 96. He’s won four of his six starts for Clare Cunningham now. There is a Benchmark 90 over 2000m at Rosehill in three weeks where he can head to.
He’ll be one of the key players there. That said, the runner up Carzoff will likely head there as well. That was a big first up run by the French import over ground. He’ll be fitter and will meet Just Shine better at the weights.
Curragh in third was strong too. He caught the eye late. They’ve nominated him to back up in a 2000m Benchmark 80 on Saturday. It’s a good idea as he looks particularly well placed.
The son of Tavistock was unable to use any of Jean Van Overmeire’s 2kg allowance last start.
If Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young again use the apprentice on Saturday, Curragh will only rise 3kg at the weights for a substantial drop in grade.
Race 8: Philosophy - Benchmark 84 Handicap (1300m)
Philosophy has been racing consistently this prep mainly against her own sex. She deserved that win and has run to a Timeform rating of 103.
It’s a career best rating for her and a figure that’s high enough to suggest there’s still time for her to chase some black type.
The daughter of Street Cry is getting up there in the Benchmark ratings as well so she more or less has to now.
There are races like the Winter Stakes and Winter Challenge at Rosehill over the coming weeks. She’s a mare in form and in those sort of races up to her ears.
The UK import, Invictus Prince ran a real eye catcher in fourth. There is a Benchmark 90 over the Randwick Mile in two weeks which looks a nice progression for him.
Race 9: Noble Joey - Benchmark 84 Handicap (1000m)
Noble Joey has got his career is right back on track. He beat a couple of stakes performed three-year-olds on Saturday with a Timeform rating of 101.
The five-year-old is a genuine sprinter and loves a wet track. There are a couple of Benchmark 80’s for him in the coming weeks. He’d carry big weights but maybe they can put a 3kg claimer on.
It was good to see Bandipur bounce back to run third after a forgettable first up showing.
Tip Top was one of the runs of the day in fourth. He was charging home late to run fourth along the inside. The fence was deadset quicksand by that time of the day. To produce that effort fresh over an unsuitable trip on inferior ground was excellent.
Keep an eye out for wherever he goes next.
