Randwick Blackbookers and horses to follow from March 8

Who were the eyecatchers, who should you add to your black book for upcoming races and meetings and who do we recommended following in the weeks and months ahead? 

The Chris Waller-trained mare was second-up on Saturday and did well to grab second prize in the Group 3 event.

She drew the wide in gate eight (of nine) and Jason Collett had no hesitation in dropping her out to tail the field on settling.

The widest of them on the turn, she put in the big ones and never stopped chasing but despite taking ground off the leader (Little Baia), couldn’t bridge the gap, beaten just half a length on the line.

Being beaten half a length, second-up over a mile in black-type company is a great effort and already a winner when third-up, the Dundeel mare is well worth following for a few more yet.

The Brave Smash mare was fresh off a 16-week spell and turned plenty of heads with her last to all-but first effort on Saturday.

With Shelby Sixty-Six pulled out of the race before the turn, that left the mare behind all the rest until Nash Rawiller eased her out wide where she found clean air and ran home strongly to beat all but Jedibeel home (who also impressed first-up).

Kimochi has found the podium several times when second and third-up (without actually winning) but the indications are strong that she is fitter and now more experienced.

Still nominated for a run in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes on April 5 at $26 with all-in markets, trainer Gary Portelli has the option of running her once more before then, but whatever he decides, she is still worth slotting into your blackbooks this preparation.

The Team Price & Kent-trained stayer was second-up on Saturday and put over more ground, showed the crowd he was well on his way to reproducing his form when finishing a close-up second behind race-favourite Alalcance in the Listed Randwick City Stakes over 2000m.

Chad Schofield settled the War Decree gelding mid-field, one off the fence and on straightening, balanced the four-year-old up, then stormed home to finish within half a length of victory on the line.

Still nominated for the Group1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2400m) at Randwick on 12 April, I would think the stable would give him at least one more run before deciding where he goes next.

Already a winner when second and third-up, last year’s Group 1 QLD Derby winner may not make the final field of the Queen Elizabeth (currently listed at $126 with all-in markets) but going by his efforts last Saturday, he still showed enough to fill a spot in our blackbooks.