Queen Elizabeth Stakes Tips - Complete guide to Randwick Group 1
- Runner-by-Runner Guide to the Queen Elizabeth
- Who will take out the Randwick Group 1?
- Why we are backing Pride of Jenni
The premiere middle distance race of the Sydney autumn carnival is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes run on Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick over 2000m under weight-for-age conditions.
First run in 1851 as the Queen’s Plate, the race has been won by many of our champion racehorses including Phar Lap (1930), Tullouch (1960,61) and of course Winx (2017,18,19).
A fantastic field of international invaders and local talent have accepted for the rest and our thoughts and best betting plays below.
1. Mr Brightside (11)
He finally put in a below par run in the Australian Cup and the punters are writing him off!
I was of the opinion that the Hayes team were setting him for one shot over 2000m like the did in the spring but he lines up again in the Queen Elizabeth.
It doesn’t seem as though Pride Of Jenni has his measure but he’s opened up in double figures which does look very appealing from a place perspective.
2. Cascadian (6)
Won back to back Australian Cups when storming over Pride Of Jenni two weeks ago, nabbing the champion mare right on the line.
There will be plenty that will say that he got conditions to suit in that event but while he probably is better suited to Flemington, five of his 12 career wins have been here at Royal Randwick.
3. Buckaroo (2)
He’s been given a number of chances at this level in Australia now without firing a shot and he’s one I’m more than willing to take on.
4. Lindermann (10)
Started this campaign really consistently before dropping back in grade a dominating his rivals at Rosehill over 2000m two back.
His run in the Doncaster was pretty good considering he just doesn’t get through the heavy track well at all and his ears were pricked and he found the line well.
I’m not a fan of him going up and down in distance so sharply but he’s come up a huge price.
5. Kovalica (7)
He’s been kept to the shorter distances so far this prep but I’ve been crying out to see him out over 2000m+ and he gets that now.
There’s a fair amount of natural ability with this gelding but he does seem to just grind away no matter what race he’s put in and lacks a real turn of speed.
This field will likely be a bit classy for him.
6. Zeyrek (4)
Has shown nothing to suggest he will be a threat to a field of this quality.
7. Pride Of Jenni (3)
Along comes a horse every now and again that captures the imagination of the racing fraternity and that’s what this front-running mare has done through her last couple of campaigns.
She’s now won three of her last five, all have been at Group 1 level and the two she lost were by the barest of margins.
I was one of the ones thinking she’d be found out over 2000m but in hindsight, considering just how well she controls the tempo of a race, and her toughness late, that was pretty silly!
It will take a very good one to beat her and she goes close yet again.
8. Via Sistina (5)
This daughter of Fastnet Rock came over from the Uk and dominated her rivals in the Ranvet two weeks ago, producing an excellent turn of foot late in the race.
The starting price profile is interesting to look at here because she will likely start the same price in that race as she will in this one and she faces a much tougher ask when considering the Victorian horses coming up to Sydney.
I don’t have her on top for that specific reason only because she is clearly a very good mare who will benefit from that run two weeks ago.
9. Atishu (9)
She’s won 10 of 40 career race starts including two Group 1s, one against the boys in the Mackinnon Stakes during the spring.
She is dual accepted in the Queen Of The Turf where I think she is better suited.
10. Place Du Carrousel (8)
Ran really well when making her Australian racing debut in the Ranvet but just ran into one better.
She’s only a lightly raced mare with a heap of upside and I’m almost sure that the Freedman team is wishing they went to the Tancred instead of following Via Sistina.
Unlike the favourite, she is starting double the price that she did in the Ranvet which means she represents great value in my opinion.
11. Ceolwolf (1)
The only three-year-old in the race this year adds some excitement and different form lines to assess.
He ran a bottler in the Derby last Saturday on a heavy track and if it wasn’t for a truly exceptional horse in Riff Rocket, he’d be a Derby winner.
I like this move by Joe Pride to chuck him into the deep end if his horse is happy and well but I don’t think he has the class to win this event.
Verdict
SELECTIONS
2nd: No. 8 Via Sistina
3rd: No. 1 Mr Brightside
4th: No. 10 Place Du Carrousel
Pride Of Jenni
Win
@16/5 - 5 Units
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