G1 TAB Epsom, $1.5 million, 1600m
Riodini (NZ) (Proisir) was so gallant when a close up third in this race last year and his lead-up form this time around looks superior. His last start G1 George Main S. second to Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) was a particularly tough performance. He has a tricky gate to contend with but he looks a big chance to put Rachel King in the history books as the first female jockey to win the big spring carnival mile.
Kathy O'Hara will be vying for that honour as well and her in-form mount Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) is attempting to become the second Epsom winner in a row for her sire on the back of Probabeel's (NZ) (Savabeel) success last year. Savabeel is also the sire of topweight Mo'unga (NZ) whose form lines (splitting Incentivise (Shamus Award) and Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Makybe S. look strong.
Alysha Collett also has a nice ride in the shape of Aramayo (Poet's Voice {GB}) who has been right in the thick of things at his two runs this campaign. He is one of five Epsom candidates for the Chris Waller stable (trainer of last year's runner-up Funstar (Adelaide {Ire})), the others being Atishu, Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) and Reloaded (Snitzel), who is out of the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Hollow Bullet (Tayasu Tsuyoshi {Jpn}). All Waller runners boast good form credentials.
Riodini's trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also saddle up Discharged (Snitzel) who should give a bold sight from an ideal draw.
Several New Zealand-bred horses have already been mentioned, and they have won the last two runnings (Probabeel and Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) of this race) Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) looks a decent chance to carry on the condition whilst Lion's Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) only has to recapture his autumn carnival form to be a chance - with blinkers, a great barrier and 52.5kg, he's in with a knockout chance.
G1 Metropolitan H., $750,000, 2400m
Not since 1984 has a horse won consecutive runnings of this staying test, Hayai (NZ) doing the job for the first time since 1970 when Tails (Dalray {NZ}) wrote his name into Metropolitan H. history.
Favourite for this year's edition is Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) who has been so good to the line at her two runs this time in.
Angel Of Truth (Animal Kingdom {USA}) was third last year and his form looks to be at about the same level this time around.
The Chris Waller stable mounts a serious challenge with four runners; Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) looking to be his main chances with the other three - Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Charms Star (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) going out at big odds.
Bjorn Baker's two runners are both racing well in the lead-up with She's Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}) a leading candidate, whilst the imported Harpo Marx (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is flying the flag for Australian families with his dam being Fastnet Rock's G1 daughter Nechita.
Fellow Northern Hemisphere-bred galloper Attorney (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) will have his admirers, having finished off well in the G3 Kingston Town S., though from a tricky outside gate he will need some luck.
Winning the Metropolitan lead-up, the G3 Colin Stephen Quality, with plenty in hand, Entente (Dundeel {NZ}) looks a top chance to become Gai Waterhouse's ninth winner of the race.
G1 Darley Flight S., $750,000, 1600m
The G2 Tea Rose S. won by Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) is the main form reference here. She is a top chance for the double but other good runs in that race came from Mallory (Not A Single Doubt), Swift Witness (Star Witness), Von Trapp (Frankel {GB}), Chill (Vancouver) and She's All Class (I Am Invincible).
The Chris Waller-trained Fangirl (Sebring) will be kept safe off the back of a very easy maiden victory as the odds-on favourite at just her third start.
Queensland visitor Startantes (Star Turn) lost no fans with a strong finish in the G1 Golden Rose S. and she was terrific winning three in a row prior.
G2 ACY Securities Premiere S., $500,000, 1200m
The hectic pace in the G2 The Shorts didn't suit Masked Crusader (Toronado {Ire}) but he looks a big chance to bounce back to his brilliant best in this race.
Rothfire (Rothesay) was very good in that same race and is bound to have derived benefit from that run, his first since September last year. Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) failed to fire that day but is capable of improvement.
The G2 Bobbie Lewis S. is another form reference here, won in strong fashion by Splintex (Snitzel) who has won a Randwick trial since. Jonker (Spirit Of Boom) had excuses after setting a good pace in the same race, previously giving a bold sight in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup in which he was run down only late by Vega One (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Embracer (Sebring) is another recent Randwick trial winner and he has been game in the placings at his last couple of starts in similar races.
G2 Yulong Hill S., $1 million, 2000m
With Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) heading to Melbourne, Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) will start very short here; deservedly so on the back of his excellent effort in the G1 George Main S.
In the small field there looks to be three main challengers; Keiai Nautique (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) whose full brother Fierce Impact (Jpn) was third in this race last year, Shared Ambition (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) who has been solid at his two runs this time in and Duais (Shamus Award) who was excellent when resuming in the G3 Cameron H.
G3 Arrowfield Breeders' Plate, $160,000, 1000m
Breeders always have a close eye on the first feature 2-year-old races of the season and there is plenty of interest here with eight of the 14 runners being trial winners.
First season sires Merchant Navy (Calico Jack) and Spieth (Victory Moments) are both represented by their second runners (both also have runners in the Gimcrack).
Emperor (I Am Invincible) is out of a sister to Merchant Navy.
Proven stallions each have two runners; Exceed And Excel (Hard To Say, Psychiatrist), Snitzel (Master Showman, Nipotino) and I Am Invincible (Emperor, Zambezi River), whilst two stables - Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott (Kibou, Resonator), and Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou (Master Showman, Psychiatrist) have multiple runners.
Four of the runners have stakes-winning mares as their dams; Emperor (Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock)), Hard To Say (Malasun (Red Ransom {USA})), Victory Moments (Tris (Street Boss {USA})) and Zambezi River (Zamzam (Redoute's Choice)).
G3 Keeneland Gimcrack S., $160,000, 1000m
It is always exciting to see what the new season's fillies can do and there are four impressive trial winners amongst this well-bred group from a variety of leading stables.
Having raced away to an easy win in a Kensington trial, the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) has opened up a short-priced favourite with her main dangers appearing to be Drisana (Merchant Navy) from the Snowden stable, Okami Miss (Shalaa {Ire}) trained by Clarry Conners and Choose Your Words (Redoute's Choice), who is one of two runners for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Pantonario (Not A Single Doubt) being the other.
Number one runner Choose Your Words hails from the final crop of her champion sire Redoute's Choice, whilst both Merchant Navy (Drisana) and Spieth (NZ) (Wild Botanica) have their first runners. Meanwhile two stakes-winning mares have runners; Broadband (Sebring) with Drisana and Koonoomoo (Dubleo {USA}) with Wild Calm (American Pharoah {USA}).
