Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
G1 Moir S. - return to the 1000 metres
Back to its traditional 1000 metres (though not to its old slot on W.S Cox Plate Day), this feature dash around the tight Moonee Valley circuit has been contested over 1200 metres since 2007; upgraded to its current Group 1 status in 2013.
It has certainly been won by some smart sprinters during that time, the likes of Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), Nature Strip (Nicconi) and Buffering (Mossman) having this race amongst their several at the elite level.
Imperatriz won the G1 Moir S. in 2023 | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
As a Group 2 over 1200 metres it was won by such stars as Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Apache Cat (Lion Cavern {USA}) and as a 1000-metre contest it also had some notable names on its honour roll; such as Falvelon, Sequalo, Schillaci (Salieri {USA}), With Me (Covetous), Placid Ark (Arkenstone), Special (Habituate {Ire}), Manikato (Manihi) and Scamanda (Prince Of Baden).
Nine talented sprinters face the starter this Saturday with Estriella (I Am Invincible) fighting out favouritism on the back of a stunning jump-out victory at Cranbourne. Successful at both of her first-up assignments too date, she has been in the first two at four of her six starts. Should she succeed, she will be the third I Am Invincible mare after Imperatriz and Viddora to win this race.
Lady Of Camelot | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Written Tycoon also boasts a good record in this race as the sire of Coolangatta and Pippie and he too has a leading contender with the return of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Lady Of Camelot. She is one of three exciting 3-year-olds taking on the older horses, the G1 Blue Diamond S. heroine Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) and the Slipper runner-up Coleman (Pierata) the others.
And what good older horses they face, including the last-start G1 Kingsford-Smith S. winner, I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), who is usually right in the thick of things fresh, the in-form Moonee Valley 1000-metre specialist Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}), this year's G1 William Reid S. runner-up (to Imperatriz) Johnny Rocker (Jukebox) and the high-class mare Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun).
G2 Furious S. - fabulous fillies
Here is a race that has well and truly earned its reputation as a breeding ground for future stars of the track, on three occasions won by promising fillies who as mares have secured Australian Champion Racehorse titles.
Those fillies; Research (Imperial Prince {Ire}), Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) and Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) won eight of those accolades between them, each going on to multiple successes at the elite level.
Winx won the Furious S. in 2014 | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
For Research and Winx this race was a pipe opener to their impressive black-type careers whilst it was Sunline's first stakes win on Australian soil on the back of a Listed success in New Zealand. And one for breeding trivia buffs; Research and Sunline are both descendants of full sisters to Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}).
Last year won by Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) who at her next start took out the G2 Tea Rose S., the race this year may again go to that sireline with daughters of I Am Invincible's grandson Tassort the first two favourites.
Both contested the G2 Silver Shadow S. a couple of weeks ago, Ameena first across the line whilst Manaal lost no fans as favourite with her close up third. The latter meets the former 3kg better for that meeting and they look a big chance to again fight a race out.
Manaal, the current favourite for the G2 Furious S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Last season's Champion First Season Sire Too Darn Hot (GB) is represented by the Lord Lloyd Webber-owned Too Darn Lizzie who resumes off a Hawkesbury trial second to Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) with other chances including the last-start G3 Quezette S. winner Drifting (Zousain) and the talented Zeitung (Exceed And Excel) who was brave from a wide gate in the Silver Shadow.
Aside from the three champions mentioned above, another 15 winners of this race, first run in 1986, have gone onto Group 1 glory with a number of those winning at that level on more than one occasion; Shamekha (Secret Savings {USA}), Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago), Samantha Miss (Redoute's Choice), Melito (Redoute's Choice), Streama (Stratum), Dashing Eagle (Danehill {USA}) and Tristanagh (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
G2 Chelmsford S. - history at Randwick
What a wonderful honour roll this Tattersalls Club feature boasts, the historic race first run back in 1895 won by the likes of Phar Lap, Gloaming (The Welkin {GB}), Heroic, Windbag, Beau Vite (NZ), Bernborough, Tulloch (NZ), Gunsynd, Kingston Town (Bletchingly), Emancipation (Bletchingly), Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Lonhro and Winx.
It is a race in which leading trainer Chris Waller boasts a good record, saddling up six of the last 12 winners; Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) in 2020, Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) in 2018, Winx in 2017, Hawkspur (Purrealist) in 2013 and 2014 and Danleigh (Mujahid {USA}) in 2012.
Zardozi, the current favourite for the G2 Chelmsford S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Last year he had half the field with Lindermann (Lonhro) faring best in fourth position and he again plays a big hand in this year's race with three of the 10 runners; the roughie Francesco Guardi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who is capable of second-up improvement up to the mile and the more fancied runners: Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock) who was not far away when resuming in the G1 Winx S. and Hinged (Worthy Cause) who has Nash Rawiller back aboard.
The horse they have to beat is the short-priced favourite Zardozi (Kingman {GB}), last spring's G1 VRC Oaks winner who was only 2.5l off them in the Winx S. Off a lesser performance first-up last time in she was a dominant second-up winner of the G2 Phar Lap S.
G2 Tramway S. - the return of Amelia's Jewel
It will be with great interest for fans to see the return of the popular mare Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) in this race, the recent Hawkesbury trial-winning Group 1 mare making her debut for the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald stable.
Beaten (and hardly disgraced) only once in five first-up attempts, the 5-year-old triple millionaire rarely runs a bad race; from her 16 starts winning nine times with another four placings on her impressive record.
Annabel Neasham knows how to win this race, successful two years running (2021 and 2022) with her high-class import Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).
Amelia's Jewel, the current favourite for the G2 Tramway S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Amelia's Jewel starts favourite it what looks to be an even race on paper with her main rivals being Democracy Manifest (Flying Artie) who recorded good sectionals when an eye-catching fourth behind Joliestar (Zoustar) in the G3 Show County Quality first-up (and who boasts an excellent second-up record), Freedom Rally (Rubick) who was in good form in Queensland over the winter and Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) whose first-up second in the G2 Missile S. caught the eye.
There are also a few resuming at nice odds who are capable of pulling out a nice run fresh, such as Amelia's Jewel's stablemate My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High), Nugget (GB) (Siyouni) and Kintyre (Hallowed Crown). Adding interest making his Australian debut is the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a Randwick trial winner who was twice successful at Group level as a 2-year-old in England.
G3 Concorde S. - the return of Giga Kick
One of the key highlights of Saturday's racing is the much-anticipated return of Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), one of the nation's top sprinters, following a long injury-enforced break.
Suffering from a torn hip muscle, the bold chestnut has looked good trialling well on a couple of occasions at Randwick and his first-up form; four starts for two wins and two placings, is hard to fault.
The winner of seven of his 11 starts including last year's G1 All-Aged S. and the G1 Doomben 10,000 and the previous year's The Everest, the winner of over $9.6 million has new rider James McDonald aboard.
Giga Kick, the current favourite for the G3 Concorde S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Not surprisingly Giga Kick, whose Randwick form is excellent, is favourite, though there are some very nice horses out to challenge him.
Such as the last-start G1 Tattersalls Tiara winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), the consistent Group 1 performer Private Eye (Al Maher), Aft Cabin (Astern) with his very good trial form and Remarque (Snitzel) who first-up last time in was too good for In Secret (I Am Invincible) and Bella Nipotina in this same race.
Should he again salute he will become only the second horse to win the Concorde on more than one occasion, the other being fellow Snitzel gelding Redzel who made this race his own three times between 2017 and 2019.
Listed 3YO Racing at Moonee Valley - the Atlantic Jewel and the Mitchell McKenzie
There are Listed races for the sprinting girls and boys at Moonee Valley on Saturday; the Atlantic Jewel S. and the Mitchell McKenzie S. both 1200-metre events which follow each other as races six and seven on a strong card.
It is the 10th running of the Atlantic Jewel, which on four occasions has been won by fillies who have gone on to further stakes success; the best of those being the regally bred triple Group 1 winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock) in 2017 and the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}) two years prior.
The last-start G2 Silver Shadow S. winner Ameena was in the acceptances but instead stays in Sydney whilst scratched from that meeting in favour for this race is the talented maiden, Silmarillion (Too Darn Hot {GB}), who was a brave second in the Silver Shadow.
Immortal Star, second favourite for the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. at Moonee Valley | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Immortal Star (I Am Immortal) created a big impression with her latest win at this track, whilst the form lines of Sassy Jenni (Shalaa {Ire}) are worth noting, she is following up her all-the-way debut Moonee Valley win with a game third to last weekend's impressive G3 McNeil S. winner Growing Empire (Zoustar).
There is also good form in the Mitchell McKenzie S., a race which also has some nice horses on its honour roll including the subsequent Group 1 winners Brutal (NZ), Bel Esprit, Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Anacheeva and St Covet.
It's an exceptionally open running of this race this year with only one of the eight runners opening at double-figure odds and that horse at only 10-1!
Epimeles, the curent favourite for the Listed McKenzie S. at Moonee Valley | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The unbeaten Epimeles (Dundeel {NZ}) resumes off a Cranbourne jump-out victory over Growing Empire whilst the Cranbourne trial winner Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) faces the starter for the second time having won a good form race at debut; defeating the subsequent Sandown winner Ndola (Justify) and the G3 Vain S. winner Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach {USA}).
