Big Stakes Day at Randwick! March 11, 2024

We break down a massive Saturday at Randwick Racecourse with five Group 1 races and elite runners in every event.

📌 Races Covered:

• Race 6: ASAHI SUPER DRY AUSTRALIAN OAKS

• Race 7: SCHWEPPS SYDNEY CUP

• Race 8: QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES

• Race 9: TAB QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES

• Race 10: CINCOTTA CHEMIST SAPPHIRE STAKES

🏇 We’ll share our exclusive analysis, race-day insights, and data-driven projections to help you understand which contenders are primed for big performances. Whether you’re tuning in for form guides, sectional trends, or just want to learn more about these championship-level events — we’ve got you covered.

Randwick Horse Racing Picks

22 to 1 Tom’s Randwick Tips

RACE 6 ASAHI SUPER DRY AUSTRALIAN OAKS 2400m 3F OPEN G1

5 – Belle Detelle

After running 10th (twice) in two barrier trials, she went off at 5-1 and won a group three in her last race at 2000m. She came from 10th place early in the race and won by about half a length. She’s finished in the money in all her races, but the last race was against winners. She won of the soft going, now add distance and see what she’s got.

2 – Treasurethe Moment –

She will be the favorite for a good reason: she has ten starts and eight wins, the other two races, she finished second. She has been racing near the leaders and closes in the home stretch. She already won going 2500m, so this should be no problem.

1. Lecia Lucky

She is coming over from New Zealand with a record of six wins from seven starts; in the other race, she ran second. Last time out, she won the New Zealand Oaks, going this distance from off the pace. She moves up a bit in class but has the finishing kick to win or place here.

 

RACE 7 SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP 3200m 3U OPEN G1

8 – Alalcance

She’s never run this distance but has added distance in her last three races and won them all. She also likes this racetrack with three starts, two wins, and one placing. She will want the lead and should have one other horse with her. A win here means we may see her the Spring in the Melbourne Cup.

3 – Zarir

He was gelded before his last race and didn’t show much except that he needed a race. He hasn’t won in awhile but has placed in group races in France. His first try at this distance and let’s see if they got what they paid for.

13 – Mostly Cloudy

After running in last year’s Melbourne Cup and running 18th, he returned to the races with a fourth, then a third, and another third against lower-classed horses. He will be tested here but has won at this distance and appears to me improving with each start. The post position isn’t ideal but it’s a long race.

 

RACE 8 QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES 2000m 3U OPEN G1          

12 – Via Sistina

Since arriving in Australia, she has run in three races, winning two at group one level. She ran a third in a 1400m race and then proved herself in the next two races. Her race record is thirteen starts, eight wins, and four places at this distance. Her overall record is twenty-three starts, twelve wins, and seven placings. This is her distance, and she beat the males before.

6 – Vauban

He won his first start on the season at this distance in a group three race by a head. In his second start, at 2400m, he ran third in a group one race. He ran in last year’s Melbourne Cup and finished midpack, coming over from Europe with a win at York and a second at the Curragh; both were group races. Returning to a distance where he is one-for-one is a good idea, even though he has previously won at longer distances. The Post position is not ideal, so he will have work to do.

8 – Lindermann

He has one win in a group one race in the past, and since coming back from a layoff, he has run second, third, third, and second in group races. He has five starts at this distance, two wins, and two placings. He’s been running well so I see that continuing today.

2 – Rousham Park

In his last race in Japan, he ran seventh at Nakayama, going 2500m. In that race was the winning of the Dubai Turf Danon Decile. He ran second to Rebel’s Romance in the Breeder’s Cup Turf the race before. The move to switch the distance here and with a record of seven starts, three wins, and three placings points for a win in a group one race. He has been up against top horses in Japan in the past.

 

RACE 9 TAB QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES 1600m 3UFM OPEN G1

1 – Fangirl

She was cross-entered in race eight, too, but this is a much better spot. Since the start of the season, she’s run three times with one win and two seconds at distances of 1400m to 1600m. Her prep was in a barrier trial, and she ran tenth. Based on her current form and a better race for her, she’s the one to beat.

11 – Quickster

She finished sixth in an open-class sprint during her first start of the season. She has one win and one placing at this distance, but she has only placed in Group Three races, so this represents a significant step up. She is likely to be a long shot, but she has finished in the money in seven out of her twelve starts at various levels. All I want for her is to finish in the top three. She has the inside post position.

3 – Atishu

She hasn’t accomplished much in her last three starts, yielding very disappointing results. However, in her most recent race, she was at the back of the field but managed to move up and finish fourth. That’s enough for me to expect a strong performance here. She has three wins at the Group One level from twenty starts (with five placings). She performs well at this distance, with sixteen starts, four wins, and six placings. This will be her fifty-first start, and of those, she has raced in either Group One or Group Two races thirty times.

 

RACE 10 CINCOTTA CHEMIST SAPPHIRE STAKES 1200m 3UFM OPEN G2   

4 – Estriella

She has been outrun and outclassed in her last three races for big money. She won at Caulfield last year in a Group Two race going 1000m; that was her last win. She is coming into this race third-up and has a good record of three starts, with two wins and one placing. Is this her race? The inside post position may be the key to success.

5 – Commemorative

Not much last time against group one competition, but she won the previous race in group three. She has never faced group two competition but has performed well at this racetrack, competing five times and securing one win and three placements. Additionally, she has two victories at this distance. Owned by Godolphin, she has a good chance as the favorite.

8 – Austmarr

She won her last start in a Group Three race at Rosehill. She finished fourth twice before her victory, both in Benchmark 94 races. She achieved two wins on soft ground and placed once in three races overall. I believe she will continue to improve, so keep an eye on the tote board to gauge what other bettors think.

Rich’s Randwick Ranks

Race 6: ASAHI SUPER DRY AUSTRALIAN OAKS – 12:40 am ET

1 – LEICA LUCY – just a head away from being undefeated in 7

5 – BELLE DETELLE – just won a G3 on soft Randwick grass

2 – TREASURETHE MOMENT – going to be the big favorite

4 – VERONA ROSE – winner of 3 of 4 – lost to Treasurethe Moment by a lot

 

Race 7: SCHWEPPS SYDNEY CUP – 1:15 am ET

14 – TAJANIS – soft is the footing required 8/3-3-0 – just 1 win and second in 9 on others

8 – ALALCANCE – winner 3 in a row – including w2w at Randwick in last

15 – BIRDMAN – will be rolling hard at the end – solid at the track and on soft

9 – RIVER OF STARS – expecting better in 2^nd up

 

Race 8: QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES – 1:55 am ET

12 – VIA SISTINA – tried to stay away from big favorites in our first two – can’t here

6 – VAUBAN – ITM 9/11 on soft – 3^rd up – won only race at the distance

8 – LINDERMANN – now longshot – strongest distance, well enough at the track and soft

1 – DUBAI HONOUR – second up should equal a better race

 

Race 9: TAB QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES – 2:35 am ET

5 – LEKVARTE – strong at the distance – solid at the track – flying at the end

1 – FANGIRL – cross entered – always close at the end – but tends to hang late

6 – GRINZINGER BELLE – not a lot of early speed in here – 3^rd up

8 – JENNILALA – just won a G3 – maintenance work between races 99-1 – has a chance

 

Race 10: CINCOTTA CHEMIST SAPPHIRE STAKES – 3:10 am ET

5 – COMMEMORATIVE – undefeated in three on soft

13 – UNIQUE AMBITION – cant help but see soft 6/3-2-0 and 7/0-0-0 at all others

9 – TASHI – soft works 5/2-2-0 and has run well at the distance and track

3 – OLENTIA – if there is one specific for the distance is her – 7/4-1-0 and 13/3-1-1 at any other