Ray Thomas's tips for Saturday, April 26, 2025
But today's Royal Randwick meeting is still intriguing, most noticeably for the Australian debut of Wootton Verni in the Precise Air Handicap (1500m).
A Group 3 winner in France, Wootton Verni is now with the Chris Waller stable and it could prove a significant pointer for punters that champion jockey James McDonald has decided to stay in Sydney to ride the new stable recruit.
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At Morphettville, Waller has the chance to bring up a record 19th Group 1 win for the season with Movin Out in the $1 million Australasian Oaks (2000m).
Movin Out is currently on the third line of TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Oaks at $5.50 behind $4 favourite Benagil and $5 chances Too Darn Lizzie and Polymnia.
The Group 1 $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) is similarly wide open with Climbing Star the $6.50 favourite to become the first to twice win the feature fillies and mares sprint.
Overpass is used to winning feature sprints multiple times, particularly at Perth's Ascot racetrack.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass is the $1.95 favourite to win a third successive $5 million The Quokka (1200m).
There are four stakes races on Brisbane's Eagle Farm program including the Listed $300,000 Brisbane Mile (1600m) where Port Lockroy is the $4.40 favourite.
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TRACK CONDITIONS
ROYAL RANDWICK
Weather: Mild, partly cloudy day with high chance of showers in the afternoon and a forecast top temperature of 25c.
Track: Soft (6).
Rail: 9m out 1000m to winning post, 7m remainder.
MOONEE VALLEY
Weather: Cool, cloudy day with a high chance of showers and a forecast top temperature of 19c.
Track: Soft (7).
Rail: 4m out.
EAGLE FARM
Weather: Mild, partly cloudy day with a medium chance of showers and a forecast top temperature of 26c.
Track: Heavy (8).
Rail: 5m out.
MORPHETTVILLE
Weather: Mild, partly cloudy day with a slight chance of showers and a forecast top temperature of 23c.
Track: Good (4).
Rail: True.
ASCOT
Weather: Mild, partly cloudy day and a forecast top temperature of 22c.
Track: Good (4).
Rail: 3m out.
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BE WARY
Royal Randwick's rail has been shifted out to 9m from the 1000m to the winning post and 7m the remainder of the track after being 6m out last week. This is the fourth successive Saturday meeting at Randwick and with the track rated a soft 7, it is expected to be advantageous being away from the inside in the straight. Moonee Valley's rail is out 4m but with the track rated a soft 7, watch early races close to determine if there is any track bias to those racing on speed and near the inside.
• MARKET MOVERS: Punters come for two runners in SA Group 1
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ROYAL RANDWICK TIPS
BEST BET
ZEALOUSLY (Race 4 No.1) stormed through his grades late last year with three successive wins, leading throughout and winning by comfortable margins each time. He was then given his chance in The Sunlight and ran very well for fourth behind subsequent Group 1 winner Private Harry back in January. Zealously resumed at Warwick Farm earlier this month and trailed leader Wondereach into the straight, ranged up to win but could not get past his race-fit rival, losing narrowly. Zealously will be fitter for that run and is not badly treated at the weights after the claim. The only concern is the track conditions as his three wins have been on good tracks but his effort in The Sunlight when he ran so competitively against a top class field was on a soft 6 surface. He looks placed to advantage.
THE NEXT BEST
LONHRO'S QUEEN (Race 7 No.2) is a talented mare with a very good winning strike-rate. She is chasing a hat-trick of wins this campaign after impressive efforts at Scone and Hawkesbury. Although she tends to settle back in her races, she does have a powerful finishing surge. Lonhro's Queen handles all tracks so the soft conditions won't bother her. She's at her right distance range and gets the benefit of apprentice Braith Nock's 2kg claim. Lonhro's Queen ticks a lot of boxes.
VALUE BET
INVADER ZIM (Race 6 No.10) is resuming but he invariably sprints well fresh as he showed at his last two comeback runs resulting in second placings, both at Randwick. Last winter he endured a wide run and was unlucky not to have won over 1300m on a heavy track then last December he was first-up at 1200m and beat all but Disneck who was in rampant form. Invader Zim last raced in early February and has had some residual fitness going into this campaign. He was given an easy trial to prepare for his return. Invader Zim handles wet tracks and is over the odds around $12.
THE WHISPER
WOOTTON VERNI (Race 8 No.10) won five of his nine starts in France including a Group 3 over 2100m at Saint-Cloud. He's had two barrier trials for new trainer Chris Waller and was particularly impressive at Warwick Farm last week when he came from near last, hugged the rail and finished strongly for second behind the speedy Oh Diamond Lil. Champion jockey James McDonald rode Wootton Verni in his latest trial and sticks with the horse for his Australian debut. There's some real stable confidence about this horse he continues to firm in betting.
• EXPERT TIPS: James Molony's race-by-race tips and analysis for Royal Randwick on Saturday
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MOONEE VALLEY TIPS
BEST BET
ELOUYOU (Race 2 No.4) had excuses first-up then returned to top form when he led throughout and was never troubled scoring over the Valley's 1200m course last start. He hasn't raced for over a month but had a tick-over trial at Caulfield. Elouyou was scratched from a suitable Sydney race to stay in Melbourne for the Moonee Valley sprint. Clearly the one to beat.
NEXT BEST
NEW YORK LUSTRE (Race 4 No.3) won her maiden last winter then resumed over summer and reeled off three wins in succession at Seymour, Flemington and Sandown. She hasn't raced for nearly three months but has looked sharp in two recent barrier trials. New York Lustre is an improving mare who is chasing her fifth win on the bounce. She races on speed and makes her own luck. Hard to catch.
VALUE BET
WAIMARIE (Race 9 No.8) was unlucky not to win at Bendigo first-up when edged out on the line. This under-rated daughter of super sire Snitzel raced consistently without winning last spring including her close third in the Inglis Bracelet at Flemington during the Cup Carnival. Waimare won second-up when last in work, she's won over today's course and distance, but seems a forgotten runner at very generous double figure odds.
THE WHISPER
HAPPY LINK (Race 3 No.8) missed a place for the first time in her career when she led for home but faded late and finished fourth when resuming at Sandown. When last in work, Happy Link's form improved the deeper she got into her preparation, culminating with successive wins at Geelong and Sandown. She is versatile and can race anywhere in the field. Drops 4kg on her Sandown loss and is set to bounce back to form.
• EXPERT TIPS: Brad Waters' best bets, quaddie picks, race-by-race tips and analysis for The Valley on Saturday
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TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS
ROYAL RANDWICK
Race 1: Hidden Motive $4.60-$3.90, Akaysha $11-$8, Hayek $11-$10, Grand Eagle $15-$12
Race 2: Sunrise $2.80-$1.90, Everyone's A Star $11-$6, Oakfield Badger $15-$6.50, Mad Darcey $15-$10
Race 3: Speedy Henry $4.40-$3.40 with a bet of $2000 at $3.60, Pareto $8-$6, Zampano $8-$7
Race 4: Zealously $2.30-$1.90 after a bet of $2000 at $2
Race 5: Saganti $4.60-$3.40
Race 6: Lisztomania $4.60-$3.90, Piastri $8-$5
Race 7: Martini Mumma $6-$5.50, Sparkling $11-$8.50, Extremely Rowdy $15-$9.50 including a big bet of $7500 at $11
Race 8: Ducasse $4.60-$4.40, Wootton Verni $8-$6 with a bet of $1000 e/w at $7.50/$2.60
Race 9: Colophon $8-$3.90, Engine Room $6-$5
Race 10: Know Thyself $3.50-$2.30
• BIG BETS: Last-start flop backed to win $75,000
MOONEE VALLEY
Race 1: All Pink $5.50-$2.80
Race 2: Elouyou $2.30-$1.90 with bets of $4450 at $2, $4000 at $1.95, $2000 at $1.95 multiple times and $2000 at $1.85 multiple times
Race 3: Happy Link $4.20-$3.80, Excess $5-$4
Race 4: New York Lustre $4.40-$2.90, Deepfloat Diva $7.50-$5.50, Port Albert $17-$7.50
Race 5: Chorlton Lane $3.60-$3.50, Suparazi $5.50-$3.60, El Rocko $10-$8, Chartes $26-$12
Race 6: Dirty Grin $7.50-$6, Ravalii $8-$6.50
Race 7: Stage 'N' Screen $6-$4.80, El Tercero $6-$5, Dreams $13-$8
Race 8: Garnacho $7-$5, Khor $8-$6.50, Denmark $8-$7
Race 9: Ambassadorial $6-$4
• Tips from the big bookies for Saturday, April 26
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INTERSTATE MAIL
Eagle Farm Race 4 No.3 NAVYONTHEHIGHWAY
Eagle Farm Race 9 No.14 WARBY
Morphettville Race 5 No.1 IMPERIAL FORCE
Morphettville Race 6 No.9 ZLOTIES
Ascot Race 3 No.4 BE BARDOT
Ascot Race 8 No.6 HEADWALL
• MORPHETTVILLE EXPERT TIPS: Heath Pope keen on $10 pop
• ASCOT EXPERT TIPS: Aaron Mills' $12 value play for The Quokka day
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PROVINCIAL MAIL
Newcastle Race 2 No.4 BEADMAN
Newcastle Race 4 No.9 DUNDEEL FLYER
• NEWCASTLE EXPERT TIPS: Adam Sherry's best bets and inside mail for Newcastle, plus Grafton best bet
#Good luck today and I hope you back plenty of winners
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