The Autumn Carnival continues to heat up at Royal Randwick on Saturday, and an outstanding edition of the Group 2 Apollo Stakes headlines the program.
There are ten winners to be found, and I am confident that I have unearthed a few below in my 2022 Apollo Stakes Day Tips.
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Coolmore Pierro Plate (1100m) – 12:25pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Flashing Steel
The Pierro Plate always tosses up a couple of genuine Golden Slipper chances and on exposed form, I think that Flashing Steel can run a race at a price ($17 at publish).
Flashing Steel has made two appearances at the races so far, finishing third on both occasions, highlighted by his effort in the Canonbury Stakes last time.
He takes further improvement into this race, is drawn well and we can have an each-way play at the price.
Highway Handicap (1800m) – 1:00pm AEDT
Tip: No. 6 Still In Fashion
This week’s Highway race is a typically open affair, but I am going to stick with Paul Messara’s consistent gelding, Still In Fashion.
The well-bred four-year-old has missed placing only once in his last four trips to the races, filling the minors behind Banju And Shin Gui on the Kensington course here last month, and only just missing at Scone last time out.
He steps out this week in peak order and he is another whom we can have something on each-way.
Bisley Workwear Handicap (2400m) – 1:35pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Fun Fact
This is a drop in class for Fun Fact, and with some relief in the weights under Ellen Hennessy, I’m confident that he can win.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding has been up and racing for some time, but he appears to have improved with each of his recent efforts, and I thought that there was a lot to like about his run for fourth in Listed company last time.
The mile and a half is ideal, he’s drawn well, and I am happy to stick with him.
Midway Handicap (1000m) – 2:10pm AEDT
Tip: No. 2 Capital Reign
I was impressed with Capital Reign’s resuming effort for second here late last month, and he looks well placed to go one better this week.
The Capitalist gelding simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and he is yet to miss placing in seven trips to the races, winning four times.
He is another galloper who will relish some relief in the weights and needs only even luck to be in the finish again.
George Mullen Farewell Mile (1600m) – 2:45pm AEDT
Tip: No. 2 Yiyi
He doesn’t ever run a bad race, but he has also been the bane of punters’ existence many times. It’s getting towards D-day for me, I am going to give Yiyi one last chance to win at Randwick on Apollo Stakes Day.
Yiyi ended his last prep with consecutive wins after only just missing several times, and it’s been a pretty similar story in his two starts back – he has been in a winning position, only to finish second on both occasions.
Fitter third-up from a good gate and under James McDonald, he really won’t have any excuses this week!
Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) – 3:25pm AEDT
Tip: No. 2 Law Of Indices
The Southern Cross Stakes is always a thrilling contest, but this year’s edition has drawn a particularly strong field including the likes of Lost And Running, Laws Of Indices, King Of Sparta and Quantico.
With that in mind, I’m keen to try and unearth a bit of value, and I think that it could lie with Laws Of Indices.
Laws Of Indices won a Group 1 race in France in July last year, and he made just one appearance for Annabel Neasham in the spring; a credible fifth behind I’m Thunderstruck in The Golden Eagle.
He has reportedly been training the house down in the lead-up to his return, he’ll be ridden by James McDonald, and we can have something on each-way at around the $9 mark.
Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) – 4:05pm AEDT
Tip: No. 3 Jamaea
Some of the country’s best three-year-old fillies will contest the Light Fingers Stakes but perhaps unsurprisingly, the undefeated Espiona has opened a clear $1.60 market favourite.
She has just two starts during her debut prep, but put paid to them on debut before delivering one of the standout performances of the season in the Desirable Stakes.
Her recent work suggests that she’ll return and win, but if for some reason she does bomb (or need the run), I think it’s worth having a small play on Jamaea.
Jamaea was outstanding throughout 2021 and won several feature races, and while she didn’t fire in the Magic Millions Guineas when resuming, she’ll take plenty of benefit from that effort.
Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) – 4:45pm AEDT
Tip: No. 12 Hungry Heart
A colleague labelled this race a ‘Group 2 by name but Group 1 of quality’ earlier this week, and for good reason. The 2022 Apollo Stakes field is nothing short of outstanding, and boasts the likes of Think It Over, Kolding and Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant.
With a case to be made for nearly every galloper, I’m going to have something on Hungry Heart each-way at $17.
The multiple Group 1 winner returned some nice efforts in the spring without returning to the winner’s stall, and her fresh record is competitive.
She gets into this race well under the conditions, she’s drawn well, and she has had the benefit of a couple of trials leading up to her return.
Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) – 5:25pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Snapdancer
She finally saluted in a lucrative feature race last time out, and I think that Snapdancer can go on with the job when she takes her place in the Triscay Stakes field.
Snapdancer has always hinted at above average ability, but she often failed to deliver when prominent in the market.
She resumed this time for a close-up second behind Special Reward in the Razor Sharp Handicap before recording a dominant win in the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares last time out.
She’s a month between starts, but I can’t imagine that being an issue, and she can win again.
Sharp Extensive IT Handicap (1300m) – 6:00pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 True Detective
I’m happy to give True Detective another chance in the last on Apollo Stakes Day.
True Detective has been something of an enigma throughout his racing career, but he returned this time with an eye-catching effort to salute in BM88 company at Rosehill before finishing fifth, beaten just over a length in the Carrington Stakes last time out.
This is a drop in class from that race, he too gets some relief in the weights under a claiming apprentice and he is a touch of overs in my opinion at $11.
