A stacked 10-race program will take place at Royal Randwick this Saturday, headlined by the Group 2 Villiers Stakes over the mile.
The winner will gain ballot-free entry into the 2022 Doncaster Mile, and there is no shortage of value to be found in the market.
Our best bets for the entire program can be found in our 2021 Villiers Stakes Day Preview here!
Preview brought to you by Neds. Learn more about Neds HERE.
Race 1: Class 3 Plate (1000m) – 11:20am
Tip: No. 2 Casino Lord
This isn’t an easy way to start the day with a capacity field lining up over 1000m.
Casino Lord has drawn wide, but he should take big improvement away from his first-up effort over further.
The four-year-old won well over this journey second-up at Tamworth back in May and has the class of Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
Important Product is racing well, albeit against much easier company. He’s drawn poorly but has handled wet tracks in the past.
Outta Reach returns from a let-up and has found the money in three of her four starts over the journey. She gets in nice and light and should be in it for a long way.
Race 2: Midway Handicap (1600m) – 11:55am
Tip: No. 2 Heza Gentleman
Heza Gentleman loves some sting out of the ground and if he gets that on Saturday he should be hard to beat.
The son of Nicconi has rattled off two comfortable victories at Canterbury leading in, and he does appear one of the leading contenders in a very open race.
He’s rock-hard fit at this stage of his prep, while barrier 2 should see him push forward and stalk the speed.
Race 3: Cellarbrations Handicap (1100m) – 12:30pm
Tip: No. 2 Dragonstone
Dragonstone put the writing on the wall during the winter when he won his maiden at Warwick Farm by close to a length before wrapping up his prep with a clear runner-up to Sky Command at Saturday grade.
He resumed three weeks ago to win comfortably at Kembla Grange over the same distance where he overcame a wide run at the turn to kick clear.
There’s no question he’s a horse with talent, and providing he can overcome the wide draw, he should prove too good for most of these.
Race 4: Egroup Security Christmas Cup (2400m) – 1:05pm
Tip: No. 4 Herman Hesse
This isn’t a race I’m particularly keen to dive into, but it does appear a winnable one for Herman Hesse coming off a freshen-up.
The Frankel gelding hasn’t been seen in over a month after finishing second to Suppression over the same distance at Rosehill, but I like the fact he’s had a trial in between runs.
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s reputation with their stayers speaks for itself, while the fact he’s won over further reads well.
Race 5: Listed Inglis Nursery (1000m) – 1:40pm
Tip: No. 1 Athletica
This is a tricky race between the two-year-olds with not a lot of exposed form to go on.
Athletica was fantastic on debut at Newcastle two weeks ago, leading the entire way to put nearly a length between him and his rivals.
The Exceed and Excel gelding found something extra when asked of him over the final 200m, and although he’ll likely be challenged on speed by Boldinho, I think he’ll only be better for that performance with the class of Tim Clark steering.
Race 6: Acy Securities Handicap (1200m) – 2:20pm
Tip: No. 2 Bring the Ransom
Happy to take a flyer on Bring the Ransom here, who returns from a spell looking to add to a very strong first-up record.
The Sebring mare ran a place at Wyong in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes back in September before wrapping up the spring with a disappointing performance in a Group 3 at Newcastle.
Her last two trial runs suggest she’s capable of bouncing back though, while she only be aided by the inside draw.
Race 7: Fujitsu General Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) – 3:00pm
Tip: No. 10 Snapdancer
Snapdancer is a dual acceptor, but if she lines up here and not at Eagle Farm, she should be going very close.
The Choisir mare was enormous this time last year winning at Ballarat by a big margin and she’s since gone on to run a place behind Probabeel at Caulfield during the autumn.
Hasn’t been on the scene since February, but with a strong first-up record and only 53kg’s on her back, I’m happy to have her on top.
Race 8: Group 2 The Agency Villiers Stakes (1600m) – 3:40pm
Tip: No. 6 Ellsberg
Ellsberg has placed twice over the mile and doesn’t need to improve much on his last-start win in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.
The five-year-old bolted in to win by over a length after stalking the speed that day, and providing Tim Clark can get across early, he should follow a similar run in transit.
He’s fitter for four runs back and has never missed the money at Randwick, while his wet-track form is equally promising.
Race 9: Catanach’s Handicap (1600m) – 4:20pm
Tip: No. 9 Equation
Lots to like about Equation, especially if the track is wet enough by this point in the day.
The Press Statement entire had a lot to overcome last time out at Kembla Grange after copping some interference early on. The wide barrier also didn’t suit, but he still managed to make up big ground in the finish for second.
He’s 0-4 at Randwick, but with four wins to his name on soft going and some improvement to come, this might be his day.
Race 10: Quayclean Handicap (1400m) – 5:00pm
Tip: No. 5 Brookspire
Far from an easy race to wrap up the day, but Brookspire does look well-placed to bounce-back from her runner-up performance at Rosehill two weeks ago when resuming.
The Hinchinbrook mare finished a clear second to Expat, but I thought she stills showed plenty in the finish after racing wide for most of the journey.
Fitter and up to 1400m looks to be her go, while she’s also got the runs on the board on wet tracks.
