David Gately review for George Main Stakes day

In Sydney it was RANDWICK and a SOFT-7. Rail was TRUE.

Away from the inside rail was the place to be.

You could certainly run-on however, leader/ on-speed runners won four of the ten races.

Randwick Racing Review

The G1 was the George Main Stks and ANAMOE just controlled it.

Went forward and sat on leader HINGED and they ran 1st-600m some 6.6L below G1 average.

1st-1000m was 63.14. Winner Anamoe took over and was too strong for ICEBATH who was back off midfield and peeled wide no trail before the turn yet kept coming to run winner to .8L. Her 12.02 last 200m was race-fastest, she is flying!

HINGED held third quite clearly from MONTEFILIA (solid return) and FANGIRL (didnt quite finish off / her 7th ranked last 200m backs that up).

Time: 1-38.6 was -5L Vs G1 class ave.

The world’s best sprinter NATURE STRIP was back with a bang in G2 Shorts at 1100m in Race 8.

He took the trail here on EDUARDO and they didnt go hard at all here, in fact, I doubt EDUARDO has ever run a 30.5 1st-500m at 1100m, to put that into perspective Vs G2 class average, it is 10.5L below, and, even 4.8l below all equine athlete averages.

He kicked (was entitled too) but had no answer for NATURE STRIP of this back, winner went on to score by 1.35L running 1-5.01 (-3.8L Vs class).

OVERPASS went up second and then tracked the leader EDUARDO before edging past him late, he just held second from LOST AND RUNNING was was off-pace and 4-wide (fence was off sure, but still far from ideal) and he still hit the line hard, top return!

MAZU was inside him (so 3-wide) and solid. Positive signs from MASKED CRUSADER here after an indifferent prep his latest, this race he was restrained early and still some 8L away 600m with tempo again, he still ran home very well and mad this run 1-off inside (not A-ground).

His final 3 x 200m splits ranked 1st, 1st, 2nd (11.690 with only ANETHOLE home quicker (11.50 - also day’s fastest) from way back.

ALEGRON won the G3 Kingston Town (R9) at 2000m after settling in perfect spot 6th 2-wide off a strong speed, rider changed whip hands 200m and he surged, hitting lead and holding off BENAUD who looked a moral 200m out.

BENAUD still recorded fastest last 200m of the race in 12.48 which was 4/100ths quicker than ALEGRON but winner held him, and was only 2nd-up (BENAUD was 3rd-up).

KNIGHTS ORDER led and rolled along as he likes to do, he went 1-29.74 1st-1400m, his 1st-600m section was +5.8L V class so no loafing here. He was only collared 100m out and ran very well again.

STOCKMAN came wide a fair way out and he too kept closing (4th-fastest last 200m) with SUREFIRE close-up also after racing much closer this time (and up chasing leader on strong speed).

There was only 1.8L over these five but race rated well with +2.4L Vs class and +11.3l Vs all on overall times.

ZOUGOTCHA won the G2 Tea Rose for 3yo Fillies and she was given a perfect run/ ride… Bit keen early then settled better, she took a while to reel-in the leaders who gave a kick and grabbed them only 100m out with runner-up MADAME POMMERY right there and looking the winner. ZOUGOTCHA kicked in strongly and repelled her, in fact that 12.50 last 200m was race-fastest.

MADAME POMMERY ran 12.56 home with WOLVERINE edging away from inside straightening, the quinella get away on her a bit but when she had more room, that last 100m, she really stretched out nicely (home 12.64).

North Star LASS sat on WILLINGA BEAST up front and they went 48.95 1st-800m (+3L Vs class) and did kick as referenced earlier. BYRON BELLE was good for easier.

Time: 1-25.83 was -.8l Vs class

R5 was 3 Bill Ritchie and TOP RANKED showed his class, He relished the mad tempo but he had 59.5kg and gave placegetters 5.5kg and 6.5kg respectively yet beat them easily.

PURPLE SECTOR had gun trail 3rd off that mad speed and is going very well for drier ground.

CROSS TALK was pressured big time early, he took 1L trail but fancy the damage was done and he was a sitting duck 300m out, he ran well. LACKEEN kept closing OK for easier.

That speed was 47.87 1st-800m or +5.4L Vs class (+10.6L Vs all averages) so they clearly overcooked it. They would have been leading the Tea Rose field some 11L had the races been run together.

Time: 1-25.09 was near bang on Class average so they certainly had their chance to run faster.

David Gately breaks all these tips down weekly in his Saturday Premium tipping package avaliable via his tipping page. You can access it here.