Australian Racing: Riff Rocket ready for Randwick

There’s plenty of racing action for punters on Saturday, including the Group 1 Winx Stakes at Randwick.

Race 8 Randwick

Riff Rocket @ 8.00

Race 4 Moonee Valley

Photograph @ 4.00

Race 8 Morphettville

See You In Heaven @ 2.40

Riff Rocket to salute in Winx

The previously mentioned Group 1 Winx Stakes over 1400m comes up as the eighth race on a 10-race card at Randwick.

A soft 5 track is expected for the race with last year's winner Fangirl expected to start favourite on her first start this prep.

Chris Waller’s mare has won twice from six starts since winning this race 12 months ago, including when taking out the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes over 1600m at this venue in October.

The daughter of Sebring has won first up on three occasions, including in this race last year and in the Group 2 Petaluma Apollo Stakes over this track and trip in February.

The mare has a top jockey up in James McDonald and, while she rates highly on her first start since March, preference is for stablemate RIFF ROCKET.

This American Pharoah gelding is unbeaten in three first up starts and, while two of those came at a much lower level than he races at here, he did salute in Group 3 company on his return last prep.

That return came in the 1400m CS Hayes Stakes held on a sound surface at Flemington in February.

Riff Rocket won two of his three subsequent starts, including twice at Group 1 level, with one of those in the 2400m ATC Australian Derby at this track in early April.

The four-year-old raced on a heavy 8 track on that occasion and his running style means that a wide alley shouldn’t pose too many issues in this contest.

While the pick drops back markedly in distance here, he has plenty in his favour and is taken to record his eighth win in 12 career starts.

Photograph for Moonee Valley success

The great Black Caviar, who passed away earlier this week is commemorated with the Vale Black Caviar Plate at Moonee Valley.

This 1200m contest is set to take place on a soft 5 track as the fourth race on a nine-race program.

Manolo Bling was a $340,000 purchase as a yearling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year and she made the perfect start to her career at Caulfield last month.

This daughter of Grunt raced on the speed prior to delivering a victory by over a length when racing over 1100m on a wet track that day.

The youngster steps up in grade here, however, she lacks the experience of her rivals and preference is for PHOTOGRAPH for the James Cummings team.

Photograph is unbeaten in two starts this prep, including when victorious by nearly two lengths in a 1200m maiden on a heavy track at Scone at the start of last month.

The daughter of Blue Point went on to complete a double when saluting by over three lengths in a seven runner 1300m contest held on the Hillside track at Sandown subsequently.

This drop back to 1200m shouldn’t pose Jamie Kah’s mount any issues and jumping from an inside barrier she looks capable of completing a hat-trick.

See You In Heaven for Leon Macdonald victory

They are set to race on the Parks track at Morphettville with the feature contest the eighth race of the day, the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes.

A field of 13 have been declared for the 1400m contest with a soft 7 track expected.

Richard & Chantelle Jolly are set to saddle SEE YOU IN HEAVEN and she demonstrated good form last prep.

The pick’s victories that prep included a triumph by over a length in the Group 3 Behemoth Stakes over 1200m on a wet track on the main track here in August last year.

See You In Heaven followed that effort up with a close second in this race, a contest which she jumped as favourite for.

While the daughter of Divine Prophet made just two more starts that prep, those were a Group 2 fourth in Melbourne prior to a down the field Group 1 effort at Caulfield in October.

The selection resumed with a win in the 2024 renewal of the previously mentioned Group 3 Behemoth Stakes, which was staged on a soft 6 track earlier this month.

Jake Toeroek, on board last time out, is again set to ride and his mount is taken to complete a double.