Australian Racing: Mister Bianco to take out Winx Guineas

There are no fewer than 12 meetings taking place across Australia on Saturday, including at Sunshine Coast, where there are both Group and Listed races on a nine-race card.

They also race at Cowra, Darwin, Flemington, Gawler, Gold Coast, Marble Bar, Pinjarra, Rockhampton, Rosehill, Wangaratta and Wyong.

The Listed Winter Stakes is the highlight at Rosehill, while Flemington plays host to the Winter Championship Series Final.

Race 6 Sunshine Coast

Mister Bianco @ 4.00

Race 8 Flemington

Jimmy The Bear @ 5.50

Race 9 Rosehill

Thunderlips @ 4.40

Bianco looks good for Guineas success

The highlight at the previously mentioned Sunshine Coast meeting is the sixth race of the day, the 1600m Group 3 Winx Guineas.

The race is set to take place on a soft 7 track, with Millie De Lune expected to start favourite for handler Matthew Smith.

The youngster is a dual winner this prep, including when registering a victory by over a length in a 2000m Benchmark 72 handicap at Randwick on her penultimate start.

The daughter of Puissance De Lune raced on a wet track that day and again encountered wet conditions when fourth back at Randwick two weeks later.

The three-year-old contested a Benchmark 78 handicap over 1800m last time and she drops in grade and steps up in class here.

Stepping up in distance MISTER BIANCO is preferred here, having demonstrated good progress in recent starts.

The gelding has won each of his last three outings, including by just over half-a-length in a 1350m event at Ipswich two weeks ago.

The 4.00 selection raced on a sound surface that day but has also won on wet tracks in the past, including by over one-and-a-half-lengths at Doomben on his penultimate outing.

The youngster contested a Benchmark 70 handicap over 1200m on that occasion and remains open to improvement when stepping up in distance.

Paul Shailer’s mount is the winner of his only previous start at this venue and he is taken to defy a wide barrier to continue his winning run.

Jimmy to warm up for Winter

The eighth race on the Flemington card is the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final, a 1600m Listed race set to take place on a soft 6 course.

The five-year-old Oh Too Good is expected to have her supporters, having registered her first win this prep when scoring in impressive fashion here just under a month ago.

The daughter of All Too Hard came home just under three-and-a-half-lengths clear of her rivals when contesting a 1600m event on that occasion and notably that triumph marked the mare’s first outing on a wet surface and she rates highly despite having a wide alley to overcome.

JIMMY THE BEAR is the pick here, however, having registered top two finishes in all four starts in 2025.

Those starts include a good second in a 1400m Benchmark 100 handicap at Caulfield when resuming back in May.

The 5.50 selection has gone on to register wins in two of his three subsequent starts, including by two-and-a-half-lengths in a 1620m race here two weeks ago.

While that effort came on a sound surface, the pick has performed well on wet tracks in the past and he boasts a 30 per cent strike-rate (3/10) at this venue.

The son of Jimmy Creed has gone well in stronger races in the past, including when a close fifth in a Group 2 over 1400m at Caulfield back in August.

Billy Egan, who partnered the gelding last prep but who has been absent for all four starts this time around, returns to the saddle for Patrick & Michelle Payne.

Thunderlips can bloom at Rosehill

The highlight at Rosehill is the ninth race of the day, the 1400m Listed Winter Stakes.

A heavy 8 track is expected for the contest, with THUNDERLIPS taking the eye here.

The gelding has won three of his last four starts, including at this venue when taking out a 1500m Benchmark 88 handicap last week.

The 4.40 selection steps up in grade here, but has shaped like an improved performer this prep, having won in Benchmark 78 company at Randwick prior.

Bjorn Baker’s representative won under his jockey here, Anna Roper, at Randwick, with the pick having finished runner-up in both previous starts on heavy ground.

The son of Zoustar boasts a good barrier six from the rail and he looks up to registering the seventh win of his career.