Australian Racing: In Flight can soar to Randwick success

Bad weather in Brisbane saw last week's Group 1 card postponed, with Eagle Farm’s card one of a number of meetings scheduled to take place on Saturday.

Race 7 Eagle Farm

Giga Kick @ 4.20

Race 8 Eagle Farm

Philia @ 4.60

Race 8 Randwick

In Flight  @ 3.40

Giga for Cup glory

The Kingsford-Smith Cup comes up as the seventh race of the day at Eagle Farm, with Joliestar expected to start a short-priced favourite for the 1300m Group 1 contest.

This filly is a winner at this level already in 2025, having taken out the 1200m Newmarket Handicap when racing down the straight at Flemington in March.

The four-year-old failed to make an impact at Randwick subsequently but returned to form with a good second in the 1400m Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick in April.

While yet to win on a wet track, she has placed twice from three outings on soft going and has been freshened since that Randwick effort.

GIGA KICK has shown good winning form on both good and soft ground in the past and he is preferred in this event. 

Clayton Douglas’ representative recorded his best effort last year, when narrowly beaten into second, racing at the top level in The Everest at Randwick in October.

Giga Kick has made just two subsequent starts, with the son of Scissor Kick returning from a spell to finish third in Morphettville’s Group 1 Goodwood last month.

Mark Zahra’s mount was attempting to overcome a double-figure barrier when racing over 1200m at Morphettville and he has won second up in the past. 

The step up to 1300m is no issue here, with the gelding having won in Group 1 company over 1400m in the past and he is taken to record the eighth win of his career. 

Philia to salute in Oaks 

The following race on the Eagle Farm card is the 2200m Group 1 Queensland Oaks.

Mark Zahra is set to partner Benagil here, with the filly expected to have her supporters, having won at this level at Morphettville in April.

The daughter of Manhattan Rain came home nearly one-and-a-half-lengths clear of her rivals when contesting the 2000m Australasian Oaks on that occasion.

However, she disappointed when finishing only 10th in The Roses, a Group 2 2000m prep for this contest, held at Doomben two weeks ago. 

David Vandyke’s PHILIA maintained her unbeaten record this prep when winning by over half-a-length on good ground on that occasion.

Philia was registering her second win at Doomben that day, having broken through for her first career success when taking out a 1350m maiden at the track in February.

The All Too Hard filly’s two other wins have both come at this venue, including on a wet track in the Listed Princess Stakes over 1600m here on her penultimate outing.

Philia is expected to appreciate the step up in distance she gets here, with a wide barrier the only real concern.

Kerrin McEvoy, on board for her last two starts, is again set to ride and he looks up to overcoming that negative to partner the filly to her fifth consecutive win. 

Flight for Randwick victory

The highlight on Randwick’s 10-race card is the eighth race of the day, the Listed Vinery Stud Bob Charley AO Stakes over 1100m.

A heavy 9 track is expected for the race with IN FLIGHT taking the eye for the Joe Pride stable. 

The four-year-old has shown a liking for testing conditions in the past, winning four of her six previous starts on heavy going including over 1110m at Doomben last time.

That Doomben success saw the filly triumph by nearly two lengths when contesting the Listed Magic Millions Bright Shadow last month. 

Prior to that, the pick had lost out by a narrow margin when placing second over the same distance in an 1100m Listed contest at Hawkesbury two weeks earlier.

Regular rider Jay Ford returns to the saddle here and his mount looks capable of completing a double.