International Racing: Saturday 5 September 2020 – Australia

Winning Form brings you all of their best bets and tips for Saturday’s Australian racing from Randwick.

Randwick

Jackpot (race 6 – 9) – Cost: R54.00.

1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3	10	9	4
1	8	4	12
	1	5	6

A small field of just six runners faces the starter here, but NATURE STRIP stands out as the best bet on today’s card. He returns from a 22-week break, but he has won both of his barrier trial comfortably. He goes for his hat-trick today after being a jump to wire winner of a Group 1 race last time out over six furlongs by two lengths. Looks hard to oppose and should chalk up his fifteenth career victory. GYTRASH has his first run since a 16-week rest and did finish second in his only barrier trial. He has solid form to his name and was only beaten a short-head last time out over six furlongs when attracting plenty of betting support. He is likely to complete the exacta here. DIRTY WORK secured his trio of wins last time out over 1100M when returning from a 16-week rest and looks to be the best of the balance of the field. 

HUNGRY HEART returns from a 24-week rest, but has had two barrier trials to prove her well-being. She is lightly raced only having had the three outings to date, but she did finish fifth last time out in a Group 1 race over six furlongs, 4.3L behind the winner. She has a kind draw three and could emerge as the one that they all have to beat. DAME GISELLE has made steady improvement in her last three runs, culminating with a head win last time out over this c&d in a Group 2 race when returning from a 19-week rest. She will have to negotiate a wide draw of gate ten, but should be right up there they hit the line. STELLAR PAULINE is the stable companion of the second pick and had her consistency rewarded with her maiden victory last time out over 1100M when returning from a 22-week absence. She put 2.3L between herself and the rest of the field that day and although taking on stronger here, she could still be involved in the finish jumping from gate six.

The powerful Chris Waller has no fewer than nine out of the sixteen runners in this race, but he may be denied the first stake by ANGEL OF TRUTH who finished strongly when a head second last time out over seven furlongs when returning from an 18-week break. He has his second run for his new stale today and from gate three, he could be the one to side with. SHARED AMBITION may be the pick of the Waller runners. He is a six-time winner who has his second run after a 17-week absence and although drawn wide at gate fifteen, he could be the biggest threat to the former. AVILIUS has his first run since a 23-week rest but has had the benefit of two barrier trials. He takes a big drop in distance after finishing third last time out over twelve furlongs, but his jockey was suspended for not riding his mount down to the finishing post and should have finished second that day. He faces the widest draw of them all, but he should be doing his best work late.

RELOADED returns from a 22-week rest, but has had two barrier trials to showcase his fitness. He only got going late when running on strongly to be denied victory over a mile in a Group 3 event last time out. He jumps from a handy gate three and looks to be the value bet on today’s program. COLETTE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys and returns from a 21-week break, but she has had the two barrier trials. She has won four on the bounce, the latest over twelve furlongs by two and a half lengths. Whilst taking a big drop in distance, she has cracked pole position and is likely to turn in another honest performance today. ROCK has his first run since a 27-week rest but has had two barrier trials, finishing second in the latest. He showed good improvement when third in his last start over 1300M before the break and despite a wide draw of gate ten, he should be included in all bets.  

With the six late scratchings, the way may have been cleared for CRISTAL BREEZE to record his fourth career victory. He is seldom far off the action and ended up in third place last time out over six furlongs, just over a length behind the winner. From his gate four, he looks to be the one that they all have to beat. ICEBATH and ZAKAT renew their rivalry today and a form reversal is a definite possibility. The former finished a neck behind the latter in their last clash over this c&d, but is 2kgs better off at today’s weights and is better drawn at gate two, as opposed to gate six. That should be enough for the table to be turned here.