3 minute read
Chris Scholtz - Early Thoughts
R&S Contributing Editor Chris Scholtz takes a look at tomorrow’s Sydney racing.
SELECTIONS
Randwick Race 3 - 2 Archedemus
Derby winning training Gwenda Markwell can cap her big week with this impressive gelding in the Provincial Championships Final.
He is shooting for six straight wins, having gone unbeaten since a loss at his first career start. He beat subsequent two-time city winner Star Of The Seas two runs back over 1350m at Rosehill before overcoming a tough run to win the Newcastle qualifier over 1400m with authority under 57.5kg.
That is the benchmark form as Turnberry (5th) came out of it to win the Wyong qualifier. Archedemus has since cruised through a soft trial at Warwick Farm and from his ideal draw should get all the favours.
Randwick Race 5 - 2 Encryption
This is his race as I keep coming back to his excellent Group One form against the older horses through this campaign.
His last three starts have seen him beaten less than a length in the Oakleigh Plate (unlucky), seventh (3.3 lengths) in the Newmarket at Flemington and a closing fourth (2.7 lengths) behind Nature Strip and Pierata on the heavy Rosehill track in the Galaxy and nothing in this field has that standard of recent quality form.
He’s coming back to his own age under set weights conditions and with Bowman riding from a good gate he ticks all the boxes as the speed in this field will suit his run on style.
The Williams team have a huge Sydney Cup record (five wins) and they have again found the right horse for the day after this import recorded a dominant on pace win in the Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on March 23 when he responded positively to blinkers being applied.
He beat a number of his main rival under 55kg when second up and must be allowed improvement with a handy 3kg drop in weight as the astute stable invariably gets the timing right for these 3200m races.
It’s a huge opportunity for the talented Jamie Kah to make her mark at the top level after she rode him so well at Rosehill.
BLACKBOOK UPDATE from 6 April (Horses to follow at their next three starts)
Libertini - Excellent debut. Must get better.
Supernova - Don’t drop off him. Good stayer.Life Less Ordinary - Setting up nicely for the Queensland carnival.
Light Up The Room - No more than a barrier trial. Big improver.Tyzone - The one to follow out of the Weetwood.
Graceful Storm - Her run had a lot of merit.Recent Blackbook winners - Zoutori; Invincible Gem; Multaja; All Pluck; Widgee Turf; Pohutukawa; Tumbler; Star Missile.
ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS for 13/14 April
Randwick (Sat) - Autocratic (R1), Wild Planet (R2), Trope (R5), Aristia (R6), Resin (R10) and Savatiano (R10)
Caulfield (Sat) - Snogging (R2), Saccharo (R6) and Wham (R6)Eagle Farm (Sat) - Deconstructed (R3), Spin (R4) and Fit For Purpose (R9)
Terang (Sun) - Indian Thunder (R5) and Stealthy Lucas (R8)TRIAL WATCH HORSES
Randwick (Sat) - Significance (R1), Aylmerton (R2), Final Award (R2), Archedemus (R3), Safado (R3), Golden Tycoon (R3), Zousain (R5), Lean Mean Machine (R5), Trope (R5), Happy Clapper (R7), White Moss (R10) and Irithea (R10)
Happy Clapper (Randwick 29 March) - The big gun was back from Melbourne and dispelled any concerns about his well-being with an impressive heat win over 1200m, going through his gears strongly over the last 200m to easily make up six lengths on the leaders.
Lean Mean Machine (Randwick 29 March) - Early speed resulted in this classy 3YO running the quickest time in the heats over 1045m. Did all that was required to win by a clear margin.
Caulfield (Sat) - Araaja (R3)
Newcastle (Sat) - De Valera (R3), Seeingisbelieving (R3), Perfect Style (R4) and Celebrita’s Choice (R5)Recent Trial Watch winners - Strome; Kylease; Re Edit; Santa Ana Lane; Sure Knee; Word For Word; Thiswilldous; Think It Over; Nature Strip; Trumbull; Traumatised; Easy Eddie.
Chris’ final observations and full audio preview of all Sydney races will be available after 9.30am Saturday on the R&S website and tweeted by @ScholtzRacing.
