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The Age
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Race-by-race tips and previews for Saturday's meeting at Randwick
There doesn't look to be much between this field of stayers, especially after the scratching of Knights Armour, which won impressively on Wednesday at Warwick Farm. 7. Ahuriri relished the conditions at Canterbury last start on April 30 in a benchmark 72 over 1900m. It turned into a test of stamina on a heavy track. However, the form through that race has not stacked up and she loses Nash Rawiller. Third up and looks well found with a solid record on rain-affected tracks, but has always promised plenty. 5. Philipsburg closed off well at Gosford two weeks ago despite finishing ninth. He had to concede too big a start. Still has to win at 2400m, but he's only had two tries. A trip to Queensland rejuvenated this stayer. Loves heavy tracks. Hard fit. How to play it: Ahuriri to win. Race 6 – 1.55PM TAYLOR CONSTRUCTION HANDICAP (1000 METRES) 10. Winning Proposal jumped awkwardly at Gosford two weeks ago and settled second last. It proved costly. She fanned widest in the straight, finding the line behind Lulumon. She tackled that race six weeks between runs and it was her first for the Bjorn Baker stable. The filly had trialled well on two occasions prior, but there would be natural improvement to come. Earlier in her career she handled heavy tracks, winning at Warwick Farm having settled handy. The daughter of Shalaa stays at 1000m, but that's offset by the testing track. A cleaner getaway should let her settle closer. 13. Miss Jennifer was luckless in that same Lulumon 1000m race. She attempted to go through the field but struck traffic. Zipped home in fast closing splits. That was despite being 38 weeks between runs. Handles wet ground, but it dulls her turn of foot. 12. Storm The Ramparts beat both of those runners home last start. Loves wet ground and Joe Pride elects to put the blinkers on again. 5. Epic Proportions kept chasing at Hawkesbury first up when second to Able Willie on a heavy track. How to play it: Winning Proposal each way. Race 7 – 2.30PM FUJITSU AIRSTAGE HANDICAP (2000 METRES) 2. Hopeful hasn't won for three years. However, he loves heavy tracks. In his five runs in Australia on heavy tracks, he has never finished worse than second. The latest three being seconds to Sir Lucan, Eliyass and Circle Of Fire. He arguably should have beaten Eliyass, too, if not for being held up in the straight. The eight-year-old failed to let down on a firm track in the Sydney Cup before reappearing four weeks later in the Gosford Cup. His run wasn't as bad as it appears on paper. Drops back to BM88 company and gets in well after Braith Nock's claim. 8. Zaphod was seven weeks between runs at Randwick last start, when second to Les Vampire, the subsequent Gosford Cup winner. The lightly raced gelding strips fitter for that and looks perfectly placed out to 2000m now. Handles all going. 5. Bear On The Loose's four career wins have come on wet tracks. He was impressive in his first Australian start, winning at Rosehill. That is the only time he has raced on a heavy track. Led up the Wagga Cup field before weakening late. How to play it: Hopeful each way. Race 8 – 3.05PM THE CHARITY CHALLENGE HANDICAP (1600 METRES) 3. Green Fly did not get a lot of room to let down at Randwick last start. Once he angled into the clear the race was over. There was no catching Punch Lane regardless, but he should have finished closer. The six-year-old brings that upon himself given his lack of tactical speed, but he should be able to use the inside draw to settle handier. Drawing barrier one at Randwick on a heavy track may pose different problems again, pending on the pattern of the day, but he loves wet ground and well set up out to the mile now third up. He ran down 6. Cool Jakey first up from a seemingly impossible position. He'll need to do the same again on Saturday. However, Cool Jakey is on trial at the mile. Green Fly has won out to 1900m. Will need luck at the right time, but if he gets it, he'll take holding out. The timing is right to find out with Cool Jakey over this trip. Fought back to beat Gallant Star at Hawkesbury last start. May have been a touch flattered by the way the track played, but he's hard fit and you know exactly where he'll be in the run. How to play it: Green Fly to win. Race 9 – 3.45PM MAGNOLIA LANE FINANCIAL SERVICES HANDICAP (1400 METRES) 5. King Of Roseau is banging the door down to win another race. The three-year-old remains stuck on one win from 14 starts, but he was tried in better company earlier in his career. He resumed a gelding this time back and has built nicely into his campaign. The son of Capitalist has gone down narrowly in three runs back. The latest was behind Raikkonen at Gosford. The margin flattered King Of Roseau, given the winner was throttled down late, but the way he ran through the line suggests he wants 1400m now. The Peter Snowden-trained galloper is unknown on heavy ground. He's run well on soft in the past, including last start, but this is uncharted territory. 18. Spione is untapped and improving sharply with just the four starts to his name. He won in a busy finish at Pakenham first up before running a luckless second at this track over this trip a month ago behind Yankee One. He is still doing things wrong, yet still fighting out finishes. 4. Thunderlips dropped back to the midweeks last start and got the job done. He's a Saturday class horse. How to play it: King Of Roseau to win. Loading Race 10 – 4.25PM WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT HANDICAP (1400 METRES) 13. Miss Kim Kar has not had much luck with barriers in her two runs back. That has seen her get back in the field, setting her a task too big. Despite that she has rattled home into third on both occasions. Again she draws wide on Saturday, but that might not be a disadvantage come the last race at Randwick on a deteriorating track. Keep an eye on any patterns. This filly has come back in really good order. This is a filly that has won from in front before. She has tactical speed. The daughter of Pierata has also won out to 1550m so the step out to 1400m suits now and her form lines tie in with the main chances here. Just has to handle a heavy track. 10. She's Unusual does not have to answer the heavy track query. She loves the ground. Resumed with an eye-catching second to Thunderlips first up. Stays at 1400m, but is four weeks between runs. 7. Flying Thinker was six weeks between runs when fourth at Warwick Farm behind 3. Drift Net last start. Comes on from that. She also loves heavy tracks. How to play it: Miss Kim Kar to win.
Scottish Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers ‘forced to cancel glamour friendly' as Ibrox side abort plans for end-of-season trip
The plans were drawn up before the season had started MATCH OFF Rangers 'forced to cancel glamour friendly' as Ibrox side abort plans for end-of-season trip Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RANGERS have had to pull the plug on another glamour fixture Down Under, according to a report. Three years ago plans for an Old Firm derby to take place in Australia were shelved but the Light Blues were due to fly there for an end-of-season friendly later this month. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 2 Rangers have cancelled an end-of-season mini-tour of Australia Credit: Getty According to the Daily Record, the Ibrox club had lined up a clash with Olympiacos on May 28. These plans were initially conjured up at the start of this season, with the hope that Rangers would be heading to Australia as Scottish Cup winners (and potentially Premiership champions). The trip was supposed to last five days, with the squad flying out on Monday, May 26 and returning on Friday, May 30 (the cup final is on Sunday, May 25), playing the Greek giants in between. However, the tour was cancelled when Gers reached the last eight of the Europa League - the same competition they face Olympiacos in earlier in the season. Ibrox bosses were forced to think quick when the club beat Fenerbahce to reach the last eight. That result meant there was a strong possibility they could feature in the final of the Europa League which is due to take place on Wednesday, May 21. The back-and-forth between travelling to Manchester for the semi-final against Manchester United, coming back to Scotland and then heading out to Spain and for the final before again returning to Scotland was viewed as too much of a strain on the players and staff, with a 23-hour long haul-flight to Australia not thought of lightly. Rangers would of course go on to lose to Athletic Bilbao in their quarter-final tie, but a decision had to be made before then. This revelation means it's the second time Gers have called off a visit to Australia. When Ange Postecoglou was in charge of the Hoops, a never-seen-before Down Under derby was mooted, in a November tournament called the Sydney Cup. Rangers fans defiant banner after tifo criticism But it was met with negative reaction by fans of both clubs - particularly Rangers - and the Light Blues pulled out of negotations. Celtic pressed on with their own tour of Oz, seen as a homecoming for boss Postecoglou. 2 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Candlewick well-backed for stakes test in Hawkesbury Guineas
Trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton are cautious not to dive 'too deep too quickly' with promising filly Candlewick but believe the timing is right to test her in stakes grade at Hawkesbury on Saturday. O'Shea and Charlton will have a strong hand in the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) with Candlewick joined by Getafix. Candlewick could be considered unlucky to not still be unbeaten but boasts an outstanding record of three wins and a second in four starts. She made the perfect return to her second racing campaign with a first-up win over 1200m that encouraged the stable to raise the bar a little higher. Talent runs rich in her family with the highly-promising filly being a half-sister to 2020 The Everest hero Classique Legend. 'Candlewick is a lovely filly,' Charlton said. 'She is a beautiful home-bred and improving really nicely. 'You could make a case that she could potentially be unlucky not to be unbeaten at this stage of her career and this is a good point to try her on stakes grade. 'I think it's not the be-all and end-all this preparation but there are some nice races potentially in Queensland or in the spring but we will be guided by her and won't dive too deep too quickly.' Early support has seen Candlewick backed from $11 into $5.50 favouritism while Getafix is a $19 chance. Getafix hasn't been tested in stakes company since finishing sixth in the Group 2 Todman Stakes during his two-year-old season. The gelding produced a bit of a head scratcher first-up when he only beat a runner home over 1200m but the stable is confident he's capable of a much-improved showing. 'It was a weird run in a way because we were expecting him to be really sharp so it was whether he just cornered a little bit weird and got slightly detached from the field in doing so, I am not quite sure,' Charlton said. 'His work has been quite good and he looks fantastic so we wouldn't be surprised if he bounced right back to form to a level that would be competitive on Saturday, particularly as he handles wet ground. 'He is similar to her and a race like the Fred Best would be appealing if he progressed back to form.' O'Shea and Charlton will launch another two-pronged attack in the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) with outsiders Athabascan ($61) and relatively new addition Strait Acer ($34). Athabascan faces a massive drop in trip after finishing fifth in the Group 1 Sydney Cup last start with the stable eyeing off another staying target in a fortnight's time. 'He had a freshen up after the Sydney Cup and responded well,' Charlton said. 'This will be way short of his best but it might be a run that gets him on track for a race like the Andrew Ramsden (on May 17).' Strait Acer joined O'Shea and Charlton at the beginning of this preparation and only beat a couple of runners home first-up in a 1400m Benchmark 100 at Randwick. Countyourblessings gained a start in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown but the stable have elected to run in The Lawn Shed Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) instead. She will be joined by Captain Amelia in the final event on the program. â– â– â– â– â– Colt is One Step Closer to first win Untapped colt One Step Closer is a horse of the future but trainer Tom Charlton insists he still can make his presence felt in the now at Hawkesbury on Saturday. One Step Closer will line up for just his second career start in the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) for two-year-olds at the feature stand-alone meeting. The son of two-time Group 1 winner Castelvecchio was a beaten favourite on debut over seven furlongs at Kembla Grange last start, finishing 1-1/2 lengths off the winner in fourth. Despite the defeat, Charlton says his stable thought the performance had plenty of merit. 'We were happy with him on debut,' Charlton, who trains with John O'Shea, said. 'His trials and work suggested he could be a winning chance and it was a more acceptable debut. 'He should improve off that and I certainly think he isn't without a chance on Saturday.' One Step Closer is a $10 chance to win at the second time of asking with Zac Lloyd aboard but will face significant challenges in the form of strong debut winner Aerodrome ($2 favourite) and the promising Damien ($3.90). Aerodrome is currently one of the leading contenders for the JJ Atkins Stakes at $11 with One Step Closer in the same market as a $51 outsider. O'Shea and Charlton are taking things one race at a time with One Step Closer but believe the lightly-raced juvenile's best is likely still a few months down the track. 'He is definitely going to be a better three-year-old for sure and will stay further,' Charlton said. 'What trip he gets to in time, I am not sure but he's potentially a 2000m-2400m horse so we will see.' While not a stakes race, the Clarendon Stakes is undoubtedly a feature event on the program with past winners including Zardozi, Graff and Zoustar.
