Racing for Saturday 14 March

Randwick Guineas – Randwick
There is an excellent 9 race program at Randwick with one Group 1, one Group 2s, three Group 3s and three Listed races.

The Group 1 $550,000 Turnpoint Royal Randwick Guineas over 1600 metres is a set weight race for three-year-olds There is a full field of 18 runners and to make things interesting some of the best horses have drawn wide. Eleven runners had their last start in the Hobartville Stakes on 28 February. The early market has the top three horses quite close with Caymans at $4.20, Mic Mac at $4.40 and Youthful Jack at $4.80. 

Next in the betting is Desuetude at $9, Rock Kingdom at $12, Predatory Pricer at $13, Lucky Thunder at $17 and Tobique at $21. Mic Mac is unbeaten in his five runs although drawn out in barrier 15. Rock Kingdom came 6th behind Mic Mac but does his best at Randwick. Tobique won the Canberra Guineas on 8 March and the form is hard to line up, but he looks a place chance.

Jo’s tips: 1. Mic Mac, 2. Rock Kingdom, 3. Tobique

Challenge Stakes – Randwick
The Group 2 $150,000 Ascend Sales Challenge Cup over 1000 metres has attracted a field of 13 sprinters.
The early favourite is Keen Commander at $3.70. He has started over 1000 metres 6 times for 3 wins and 2 seconds, and he won an 800 metre trial by 4 lengths at Warwick Farm on 27 February. Next in the betting are Hoystar and Disciplined both at $5.50, Kaphero at $6.50 and Fantene at $8. The rest are currently at double figure odds.

Disciplined has had 7 starts for 4 wins and a place, and all the wins have been over 1100 metres. She looked good winning an easier race by over 3 lengths on 28 February. Fantene is a lightly raced mare resuming from a long spell and has won 3 of her 5 starts. She has won 2 trials recently on 20 February and 6 March and looks a strong hope here.

Jo’s tips: 1. Disciplined, 2. Keen Commander, 3. Fantene

Blamey Stakes – Flemington
The Group 2 $300,000 Blamey Stakes over 1600 metres is the main race at Flemington. It is a set weight race with penalties and has a field of 13. The early market has very open betting with Marching, Barlinnie and Time Matters all equal favourites at $6.50. Next is Conquering at $7, Playwright at $8 and Orange County at $9, then Rockpecker and Light Vision at $11.

Conquering is a Tasmanian six-year-old gelding who has won his last 5 starts in a row and is in tremendous form. Rockpecker mixes his form a little, but looked good winning over 1400 metres on 7 March. C’est La Guerre is having his first start since third in the Melbourne Cup and is at $14.

Jo’s tips: 1. Conquering, 2. Barlinnie, 3. Rockpecker