Saturday sees Australia’s first Group 1 of the new racing season when the $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m) is contested at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Australia.
The early betting in overseas markets has the Annabel Neasham-trained high-class middle-distance performer ZAAKI as a loose $4.6 market elect. ZAAKI resumes off three-month break where he campaigned in Brisbane during the winter. The nine-year-old boasts strong fresh figures of 7:3-1-1 and he’s won first-up over this track and distance in his past two spring campaigns.
Perhaps the one they all have to beat, however, is the Chris Waller-trained five-year-old FANGIRL, the second market elect at $5 at the time of writing. The top class weight-for-age mare ran second to Anamoe in this race last year, while she also placed to him home in the Apollo, Chipping Norton and the George Ryder Stakes during the autumn. FANGIRL’S trials have been as good as ever and the booking of James McDonald is likeable. She also loves a rain-affected track, which could be likely if rain persists.
Pike scaling new Heights
In-form four-year-old STARRY HEIGHTS is on track to post a hat-trick of wins in Saturday’s $80,000 Ratings 66+ Handicap over 1600m at Belmont Racecourse, Australia.
STARRY HEIGHTS has been a big improver since the blinkers were applied two starts ago, posting successive victories by a combined margin of over three lengths. The back-to-back victories brought about his second and third career wins since shedding his maiden tag in October last year. Also playing a vital role to his winning chances was the fact that champion jockey William Pike was back in the saddle, and so too was rising to the mile.
Now that the penny has dropped with STARRY HEIGHTS, he seems capable of going on with it in a race where just one horse, ALLEZ ALLEZ, appears the only danger.
