RANDWICK PREVIEW March 14, 2009 RANDWICK GUINEAS (1600M) Race 7, 4.30pm (Sydney time) First, a history lesson. Since the Randwick Guineas morphed from the Canterbury Guineas (run over 1900m at Canterbury since 1935) in 2006, the Group 1 feature has had a change in emphasis from AJC Derby lead-up to play a significant role in the outcome of open-age races such as the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (WFA 1500m, Rosehill) and the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m, Randwick). In 2007, Mentality won the Guineas before finishing runner-up in both Ryder and Doncaster. Last year’s Guineas winner Weekend Hussler went on to win the Ryder and runnerup Triple Honour won the Doncaster. Again, the Randwick Guineas is likely to be dominated by a batch of highclass 3YO “milers” rather than those who are heading for the Derby, who will find the 1600m too short, and the quality of the opposition too slick. The race revolves around the two horses that fought out the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Feb 28 – the unbeaten (5) Mic Mac and the 2008 Group 2 Sandown Guineas winner (4) Caymans. Include the Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m, Randwick) winner (2) Youthful Jack – who ran a solid fourth in the Hobartville – and especially now there is some wet weather about, and I think the race is covered in three main chances. Mic Mac, who has been untroubled to win five from five, should be top pick, but barrier 15 must be a worry for him. Spacious Randwick will certainly help him overcome that, and jockey Blake
Shinn’s tactics will be interesting. I suspect Shinn and trainer Greg Eurell will look at the lack of genuine upfront speed here and send Mic Mac across the field at the start. He can follow (11) Rock Kingdom (barrier 7) across, and can either park outside him or take up the running. When Mic Mac won the Hobartville, he drew barrier two and Shinn was able to give him the run of the race. Caymans was so impressive in coming from well back on the turn (after drawing barrier 10) to run Mic Mac to a half-length in the Hobartville. He gets his chance to reverse the placings after drawing beautifully in barrier one. It was his first run since winning the Sandown Guineas in November, so he will be vastly improved by the hit-out. A wet track won’t worry him, as he is a winner on heavy ground (1400m) at Randwick. Youthful Jack, a long striding gelding who prefers to come late and wide (as he did in the Royal Sovereign), didn’t appreciate being boxed in behind the pace on the rails in the Hobartville. He stuck gamely to his task to be beaten only a length, and from barrier two, he should be able to box seat. Caymans’ stablemate (7) Desuetude was a solid third in the Hobartville after having a good run, but this time he has to find a position from barrier 16, and there is a distance query. (6) Predatory Pricer showed his potential in the spring by winning the Listed Ming Dynasty (1400m) and the Group 3 Gloaming (1800m), both at Rosehill – he will improve on his Hobartville seventh. The tips: Caymans to beat Mic Mac, Youthful Jack and Predatory Pricer.
AND ALSO Give Sydney it’s time in the sun – or rain, if that’s what the Weather God offers up for the Randwick Guineas meeting – but don’t shy away from Flemington’s feature, the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m), and other races. They have some pretty handy names, two-legged and four – Williams, Oliver, Newitt, Nolen, Rawiller and Arnold head the human list, with only ‘ex-pat’ Boss crossing the border; Lloyd Williams’ Melbourne Cup placegetter C’Est La Guerre and the still promising Playwright stand out among the Blamey horses. First, to those who can talk, although Steven Arnold prefers to let his riding do the talking and big owner Williams likes it that way because he employs him as stable rider. C’Est La Guerre will have his one autumn start in the Blamey to clear away some rust before his next Melbourne Cup prep, but he has the quality to just about haul in the hard-fit Playwright, Orange County, Rockpecker and Tasmania’s all-conquering Conquering on the line. Playwright, who likes the Flemington ‘mile’, is Brad Rawiller’s one ride for the afternoon; back him and save on C’Est La Guerre. Arnold also rides Renewable and Tindal for Williams – both can win. And in the last, Darley’s Falaise could put a smile on the faces of the jockey’s fans and one of the few men in racing with more money than L. Williams – Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai. Stephen Howell