With the top two colts in the country, Pierro and All Too Hard to miss Saturday’s $550,000 Hyland Race Colours Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Warwick Farm, the Group 1 for the three year olds has turned into a wide open affair.
Austalian Guineas winner Ferlax is one of the main chances in the Randwick Guineas at Warwick Farm. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller scratched Tougher Than Ever from last Saturday’s Group 1 $350,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm to run in the Randwick Guineas and will be joined by stable mate Sacred Falls.
The Jim Conlan trained Ferlax is ready to tackle the Sydney three year olds after taking full advantage of the shock scratching of glamour colt All Too Hard from the $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington last week scoring an historical Group 1 victory.
With All Too Hard not ready to resume his Autumn campaign after suffering form a slight cold, Ferlax will once again be in the firing line at Warwick Farm.
And Rebel Dane will get a great opportunity to record his first Group 1 victory after running Pierro to a short half head when second in the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on March 2.
The Gary Portelli colt made it four wins from four starts winning the Group 2 $175,000 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 16 before showing that he is a Group 1 contender by pushing Pierro to his limit.
Gai Waterhouse has opted to miss the Randwick Guineas with Pierro and instead aim the super colt towards the Group 1 $350,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill the following week.
“I just felt second-up over the mile, Pierro wasn’t quite fit enough,” Waterhouse said.
Former New Zealand three year old Sacred Falls was having his first start for Waller when fifth to Rebel Dane in the Royal Sovereign Stakes while Tougher Than Ever also did his early racing in New Zealand.
“Tougher Than Ever trialled well on Tuesday and going back to his own age group will help,” Waller said.
“Jim Cassidy will ride.
“Sacred Falls had a gallop between races at Canterbury on Friday night and I’m sure he will prefer it on top of the ground.”
Mornington trainer Jim Conlan can’t believe his luck that Pierro and All Too Hard won’t be there on Saturday and has engaged Melbourne Cup winning jockey Brett Prebble to ride.
“I guess I’m having a bit of a lucky run with it at the moment,” Conlan said.
Reports from the Team Hawkes stable is that All Too Hard has recovered and will head to Sydney for the remainder of the Autumn but a definite race schedule hasn’t yet been mapped out.
