Randwick Racing Tips for October 17 – Goulburn galloper can star in the Kosciuszko on Everest day at Randwick

Here are our best bets from the Randwick meeting, which features the $20 million Everest.

Cruizingthestars shapes as an appealing value selection in the $2 million Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick. The Scott Collings-trained mare has won four of her five career starts and resumed with an impressive victory over 1000m at Randwick on September 19, defeating Oh Arthur. She recorded a performance just under eight lengths faster than standard benchmark, the second-best last-start figure of any runner in this field. The Goulburn galloper also demonstrated her ability to improve sharply between runs during her debut preparation, producing a remarkable 10-length improvement on benchmark figures when progressing from a maiden victory to a Class 1 win over 1200m at her home track. With that recent Randwick experience under her belt, further improvement expected second-up and an ideal draw in barrier two, she looks well placed to make her presence felt at attractive odds.

Tempted looks the one capable of ending Ka Ying Rising's remarkable winning streak in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare chased home the Hong Kong superstar in last year's edition and has returned an even better horse this preparation, extending her winning sequence to five with a dominant three-length victory in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last start. The four-year-old boasts an outstanding record over the Randwick 1200m, having never finished worse than second in six attempts, while her proven ability on rain-affected ground is another significant advantage given the expected testing conditions. She also receives 2kg from Ka Ying Rising under the weight-for-age conditions, and with the favourite drawn wide and yet to race on a genuine Heavy surface, there is reason to believe the gap between them can narrow. Barrier one presents a challenge for Chad Schofield, who will need clear running at the right time, but the abundance of early speed should ensure a genuinely run contest and play to her powerful finishing burst. At around the $5 mark, Tempted appeals as the best alternative to the short-priced favourite and looks capable of turning the tables on last year's result.

Platinum Pantheon looks a strong each-way chance in Race 8 after attracting support at double-figure odds. The four-year-old has finished runner-up at his past four starts and has had little luck in several of those performances, suggesting a breakthrough victory isn't far away. His Queensland campaign included an excellent second placing in the Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m), and he returned to racing earlier this month with another narrow defeat behind Wanaurah over 1200m at Randwick. Drawn wide on that occasion, he settled towards the rear in a slowly run race before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to just miss out. The New Zealand galloper should take plenty of improvement from that first-up effort, while the anticipated solid tempo looks much more suitable for his racing pattern. With conditions appearing to favour a strong finisher, the son of Hanseatic can launch a serious challenge late in proceedings.