THE SHORTS - Randwick, 1100m R8

What a race we are looking at here. There’s a Group 1 down in Melbourne, and the 7 Stakes is ostensibly the feature of the day at Randwick, but this is likely the best race in the country on Saturday as we creep ever closer to The Everest.

So many of this field have either won Group 1 or big feature races, or been desperately close and run big races in other key sprints. And with both I Wish I Win and Giga Kick being beaten so far this spring, each set of connections will have their eye on the biggest prize of all.

In Secret is the deserved favourite, having won two Group 1s as a filly and losing no admirers when second with a big weight first-up in the Concorde. Possessing such a strong 1200m-1400m record, the question is whether 1100m just still a fraction too short, just as 1000m was last time out. Nitpicking maybe, but in such a strong field, many things count in determining the winner.

Overpass is becoming something of a first-up specialist. His last three first-up runs have seen him win The Quokka in Perth over Amelia’s Jewel and Bella Nipotina, run second to Nature Strip in this race last year, and win the Expressway over subsequent multiple Group 1 winners Forbidden Love and Anamoe. It’s elite form, and there is every chance he will go to the front and just keep running.

Buenos Noches and Remarque are the X-factor horses. Both won Group 3s first-up, in emphatic style, and gave every impression of having more to come.

Buenos Noches has still only had eight career starts, run against the absolute best as a three-year-old, and has matured nicely into this season. Remarque has often been a bit of a problem child, capable of the brilliant and erratic alike, but might finally be ready to produce the goods on a consistent basis. Either can win this race and stamp themselves a legitimate Everest contender.

Private Eye, Mazu and Lost and Running can all be exceptional on their day. The first two were both placed in The Everest last year, and the latter may well have won it if he wasn’t scratched on the day. The fact all three are at double figure odds tells you how deep this race is.

Ruthless Dame and Hawaii Five Oh, also four-year-old’s like In Secret and Buenos Noches, are in the game as well. Ruthless Dame has already won a Group 1 and been placed in another (beating home In Secret), while Hawaii Five Oh was last seen being placed in the Stradbroke after two impressive wins at Group 3 level. Both have only faced the starters gun eight times, and can easily have progressed enough to win something like this.

It’s a hot race alright, with many chances, but it might be the horse that goes to the front that can defy them all.

Selections: 1.Overpass 2.In Secret 3.Buenos Noches 4.Remarque

Cameron rose's Tip

OVERPASS

EACH-WAY

Toyota Forklifts Shorts 16 September 16:00

4. Overpass

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

TEA ROSE STAKES - Randwick, 1400m R6

The three-year-old fillies have appeared to be a somewhat even bunch in the early stages of the spring, with a few blanket finishes and no standout performer announcing themselves. This group assembled on Saturday steps up to 1400m now.

Tiz Invincible and Kimochi are equal favourites for the Tea Rose, having run the quinella in the Furious Stakes last start, but both are having their first race beyond 1200m.

Tiz Invincible has won both her starts this campaign, not by big margins, but in the manner of a professional racehorse. She’s been able to sit handy from decent draws, as she will have the opportunity to do again, and has been able to accelerate at the right time to put those races in her keeping.

Kimochi hasn’t had the most friendly barriers yet, and been given time to find her feet in her races. She’s been able to finish strong when it’s all over, sailing into the placings, but will she be able to put herself into the race with a kinder draw on Saturday?

Tropical Squall is the hardest filly to line up. While most of these have raced against each other in some way shape or form, this Waterhouse/Bott filly has been winning at the midweeks, being two from two in her short career. With a 1400m win already under her belt, good fitness, and being the likely leader, Adam Hyeronimus won’t die wondering about her chances.

Mumbai Muse and Summer Loving are underrated types that keep running good races at big odds, and present to do so again here. Autumn Ballet has to find a bit to turn her form around after winning first-up but failing badly last start.

Selections: 1.Tiz Invincible 2.Kimochi 3.Mumbai Muse 4.Tropical Squall

Cameron rose's Tip

TIZ INVINCIBLE

WIN

Darley Tea Rose Stakes 16 September 14:50

1. Tiz Invincible

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

BILL RITCHIE HANDICAP - Randwick, 1400m R9

The Bill Ritchie has drawn a big field this year, but with a few of these having been around the block a bit, looking for further than the 1400m, or just commencing their campaign, the winning chances might be thin on the ground.

Olentia has a big boom on her, having won five of seven starts, but punters were burned in the Tramway when she failed to run a place as the $2.60 favourite. Kerrin McEvoy found himself three wide from barrier 8, and while the horse never looked like winning, she didn’t give up after that wide run either. That said, it was only a moderate tempo set, with the two leaders running the quinella.

Was it the wide run, a flat second-up performance, or is she not going to live up to the hype? We’ll know more after the race on Saturday.

Could a horse like Tamerlane be ready to strike? He’s a six-year-old now, and this is the toughest race he’s contested, but his first-up record is sound, he’s had two trials in readiness for this assignment, and 1400m is his pet distance.

Converge is the class animal in the race, and has to carry 59kg’s and the #1 saddlecloth accordingly. A Group 1 winner at two and three, he hasn’t won a race as an older horse yet, but placings in this distance range behind the likes of Anamoe, Fangirl and Think About It are plenty enough to be competitive here.

Barbie’s Fox is a mare in great form, and seems to have found her groove in Sydney now. Skyman was 100-1 first-up when second behind Pericles, but he does have second-up form, albeit over a bit further than 1400m. The Fortune Teller and Rediener resume as four-year-old’s, and perhaps the market will tell the story about their chances.

Selections: 1.Tamerlane 2.Olentia 3.Converge 4.Barbie’s Fox

Cameron rose's Tip

TAMERLANE

EACH-WAY

Bill Ritchie Hcp 16 September 16:40

8. Tamerlane

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds