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To kick things off, the Racepal team have run the rule over every race at Randwick and Doomben this Wednesday 6th March. To find out where the team will be betting come race day, head to the Racepal website and join either The Racepal Club or its flagship Monty package.
RANDWICK KENSINGTON 6 MARCH
Track: Good 4.
Rail: True.
Weather: 90% chance of race day rain and up to 40mm predicted. Expect a downgrade of some description.
RACE 1
Rain is forecast for a really good midweek meeting on the Kenso and we might be in for a downgrade come race day. Luckily the track has played evenly of late in our humble opinion so things shouldn’t get too messy. Nine lightly-raced three-year-olds tackle the 1550m route in the opener. Gayson is the likely leader for Waterhouse/Bott with Heaven’s Dream, Rexx and Flying Legend – sharply up from 1100m – in close attendance setting a genuine tempo. AMANGIRI was given a month to recover after a tough 1400m debut and this trip shouldn’t concern. REXX was on her tail there and has since run well over this distance. SHARAPOVA is fit and has ticked the wet track box in some decent races. Chances don’t end there.
RACE 2
Full field of 12 + three emergencies for the two-year-old handicap, including up to nine first starters. Speed comes from the country-trained filly Cassy’s Sister while Special Date looks to have the most gate speed of the newcomers. From the debutants, Toby Edmonds has interestingly sent Zoustar colt GRAND ZOU to Sydney for his debut while both ESCONDIDO and AVION FURY went through the line nicely in their trials. Of the raced, STRONGER brings excellent form, LUBUK has run second to Exhilarates and BRIGHT RUBICK got too far back on debut in a good race. Watch the yard and markets closely for leads.
RACE 3
Interesting little three-year-old affair over 1150m where Partners will try and make all from the front, with Greyt Weekend crossing from the deep and Commute kicking up along the rail to join him. EVALINA’s first up run was a complete forgive in much better grade and she’s since trialled well. Robbie Dolan’s claim is worth its weight in gold. She’ll be running on from off the pace as will LIGULATE who was trained as a stayer last prep, but looks more suited to the sprints (his only win came over 1000m). His first up effort showed he’s on track. GENTLE PERSUASION is never far away and her hoop Josh Parr is flying. None of the others can be totally dismissed.
RACE 4
A fair few of these girls like going forward so expect the tempo to be genuine. Kylease and Wimlah are the main candidates to lead while Divine Breeze and All Sassitude from the low draws should have their backs. CRISTOBAL has 61.5kg but even still she looks to get the right set up. Found five furlongs too sharp first up but she raced in better company last time in – second up she finished on Gem Song’s heels in this distance range. Hawkes pair I’M SO SWEET and SUNDARBANS both fought hard first up and will look to strike from midfield positions. The form from KYLEASE’s maiden win has been mixed but she has also ticked the wet track box and kept pace with Group 1 sprinter Ball Of Muscle in a recent trial.
RACE 5
Benchmark 70 for the boys and LASZLO will likely look to cross from the wide draw and lead. He’s a tough customer who gets every chance but the eye is immediately drawn to the two three-year-olds who will be on pace as well. CLASSIQUE LEGEND was a stylish debut winner and McEvoy sticks with him here. He’ll relish the extra trip here and even further in time. BUCEPHALUS endured a tough run last start and has enjoyed five weeks to recover. Back slightly in trip and gets the leader’s back. LEVEL EIGHT is a known first-up performer and well placed here, the wet will be no issue. Emergency SPENCER is hard to catch but has ability and can challenge if he gains a start.
RACE 6
A few of these will want to lead over the five-and-a-half furlongs but expect Mossman Gorge and Torchbearer to take up the running. THE TENOR likes to be on-pace but the blinkers have been removed and he may sit just off the speed in a striking position. His Spring three-year-old form is strong for this. So too WAGNER who was last seen at Flemington on Cup day. He’ll enjoy the tempo on here and his recent trial was sound. UP TRUMPZ and DIFFICULT TO GET can both be competitive with the right runs but happy to take on MOSSMAN GORGE who may absorb a fair bit of pressure.
RACE 7
Another race with a decent early tempo as the likes of Gauguin and Desert Lord look to roll forward. McDonald has an early decision to make on Wayanka from the wide gate. Poking up into a nice trailing position will be CALCULATED in his return from a year on the sidelines. He was put away after a Group 2 failure but placed in the Magic Millions 3yo Guineas before that which is well above this level. Perhaps his relatively new stablemate THE AUGUST is ready to do something second up after catching the eye running a place at Canterbury. DESERT LORD does a lot wrong but could be hard to catch if switched on, CISCO BAY draws to do no work, GAUGUIN drops sharply in grade while CHILLY CHA CHA and SCREAMARR need further.
RACE 8
Very interested to see how the Waterhouse & Bott pair of Chocolatier (T Clark) and Foreign Territory (S Clipperton) handle the early proceedings here. If FOREIGN TERRITORY can kick up and lead his stablemate (and Righteousness too) he could be off and gone with the prize – 1800m third up is a great set up for him. From the one alley JUDGE JUDI won’t be far away and is crying out for the extra distance. Both CHOCOLATIER and RIGHTEOUSNESS have provincial wins at nine furlongs to their name so can cause havoc. FUN FACT hasn’t had a lot of luck this prep and barrier 12 from this starting point is unlikely to change that, while ANIMALIA and WINE BUSH are back in grade, up in trip and can run on into the money.
DOOMBEN 6 MARCH
Track: Good 4.
Rail: +6m.
Weather: Chance of showers, monitor closely.
RACE 1
Persistent showers lurking around Brisbane this week means we’re a chance of Soft track action at Doomben on Wednesday, so monitor the forecast closely. It drains pretty well there though. The rail only shifts out a further two metres from Saturday’s position, so the inside may have a little wear and tear. Just 7 acceptors for the opening event and one is five-year-old gelding TICKETTOME who hasn’t been seen since the day Donald Trump won the US election! He narrowly won a trial five weeks ago. CARTLAND is the likely leader but has had a few chances now while MUSIC is first up since shuttling north to his new home with Toby Edmonds.
RACE 2
Three place dividends in the second over 1640m, provided there’s no scratchings. Tavisfaction will look to cross and go to the front while Ipso Nem Fleek won’t be far away from the inside barrier. DIPLOMATIC MISS and BLACK MOUNTAIN come through the strongest form race with the same weights they carried when running the trifecta behind Enterprise Jack. Advantage Diplomatic Miss from the draw, she maps to get the gun run. IPSO NEM FLEEK is consistent and today could be his day – he’s had five runs this prep and never finished more than 2.4L from the winner. PISTOLERO was good through the line first up.
RACE 3
Looks to be some speed on in this Benchmark 65 with half the field (four runners) all keen to be on pace. Fort Myer and Marlahn have the most dash but each of Jessina, Notonya Nelly and Slaughter Bay could easily settle up on the pace, if not just behind. All this sets the race up for SORNJA who has the most ability of this group. She has only won two of 25 but ‘run on well’ in two (albeit average) Saturday races in February and if ever a race was for her it is this one. NOTONYA NELLY is a clear second choice with a win to her name earlier in the prep.
RACE 4
Small field for the Benchmark 85 but there’s some fast ones! WHYCATCHIM is perhaps the fastest of the lot. He beat Eight Over in a trial (since won twice) before leading and being nabbed late first up. Returns to the same track and trip, carries 4kgs less and gets senior jockey Lloyd on. On his coat tails will be the old journeyman BOOMWAA who was a first up winner on Soft last prep, and WUDANG BLADE, who won last start at this track/distance but the form hasn’t really stood up. MANA has the credentials to close late if they go too hard.
RACE 5
Nothing jumps off the page in this three-year-old set weights maiden but the strongest form comes through Waller’s HOME SCENE which travels north after six NSW runs this prep. He’s back in trip but can still find the lead if he wants with KATY BOOM now far away. She’s placed at all three runs this time in and gets the rise in distance she’s looking for. STARBUSTER won’t be far away from barrier one and bring the Enterprise Jack form line we’ve discussed previously. He’s had a weird old prep though and would be hard to back with confidence. ROCK’N’SOL put in the best performance of his short career first up and is a chance as well.
RACE 6
The day’s biggest field lines up in the distance event. Meyiwa Hitam Mawar and Reset’s Son are the obvious pace-setters. If RESET’S SON can cross and control the tempo he’s going to be hard for this bunch to catch. From the box seat LA FIREBIRD will be best placed to hunt him down. From a wide draw PROUD CAPTAIN needs some luck but is progressive and represents the powerful Lees and Lloyd combination. RELAXED and TOORAK COMEDY were in the finish last time out at the Gold Coast and will enjoy the extra distance.
RACE 7
Speed isn’t in abundance in the penultimate event but what we do know is The Big House will try and lead all the way. Many of these step up to city midweek grade (albeit not a huge step) but the one perfectly placed against easier company is SEAHAMPTON. Waller has sent him to Brisbane after being there and thereabouts in Sydney. He’ll need a smart ride not to get buried away but should be too good. ELLA DIVINE and ZOUCARA come out of the same Eagle Farm event – the former is the one to follow here, pending how the track is playing. POLE VOLTER won a better race at any old odds last time out and could pop up again here.
RACE 8
They’ll go like the clappers here because half the field wants to lead. Mishani Wrangler out of barrier four and Dream Kisses from the deep will perhaps take it up from Red Colour and Il Riccio, with Downloading and Thunderous Strike parking behind them from inside draws. This all means that BUCK BAY should slot in despite drawing the widest gate and he brings some attractive Victorian form in much better company. Look for him to be charging home. Corey Bayliss’ claim on MISHANI WRANGLER is huge and he can keep kicking in the lead. THUNDEROUS STRIKE couldn’t keep up last start at Randwick but meets easier rivals here and can stalk this strong tempo.