Group 1 Randwick Guineas Preview – Sat 13 March

The Group 1 $350,000 Turnpoint Randwick Guineas is a set weight race for three-year-olds over 1600 metres at Randwick racecourse. It is the main event on a eight race program that includes a Group 2, three Group 3 and three Listed races and has a field of 17 runners. At Flemington the Crown Australian Guineas and the Darley Australian Cup will be run as part of a ten race program after being postponed due to the freak hailstorm last Saturday.

Randwick Guineas Betting

The early betting at Sportsbet has Shoot Out as $3.60 favourite. Next in the betting are Hanks at $8.50, Captain Sonador and Sir Halliwell both at $9, Viking Legend at $10, Kidnapped at $11, Zabrasive at $13, Monton at $15 and More Than Great at $17. All other runners are 20 to 1 or longer with Cosmocrat and Indian Ocean at $21, Leicester Square and Run For Naara at $26, The Comedian at $34, Delago Bolt at $51, Gathering at $101 and Saint Encosta as rank outsider at $151.

Randwick Guineas is First Leg of Sydney Triple Crown for 3YOs

The Randwick Guineas was first run in 2006 and replaced the Canterbury Guineas which was run from 1935 to 2005. It is the first leg of the three-year-old Triple Crown in Sydney, with the other legs being the Rosehill Guineas over 2000 metres and the AJC Derby over 2400 metres. The last horse to win all 3 legs was Octagonal in 1996.

The Group 2 Hobartville Stakes over 1400 metres is often used as a lead-up to this race and is run a fortnight before. This year it was won by Morton who finished 1½ lengths ahead of Shoot Out with Captain Sonador a length further back in third.