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Chelmsford Stakes 2016 race preview
02 September 2016 10:41 AM
Racing is at Randwick in Sydney this Saturday with the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes lining up as the main event on the card. With heavy rain due to fall on Friday the track rating is expected to deteriorate from its current soft 6 reading before the first race jumps.
The eight horse field runs over 1600m in this race, starting at the top of the back straight. The rail is out 6 metres for the entire circuit but we are still likely to see horses running wide of the fence as they turn for home.
If there was any doubt in punters' minds about Winx coming back from surgery, it has surely gone. Her effortless acceleration down the straight in the Warwick Stakes was awesome. The 3.5 length margin that she put on the rest of the field came on the back of a hands-and-heels ride from Hugh Bowman, which makes us wonder how many more lengths she could have put on that them if she really tried.
The challenge for Winx in the Chelmsford is very similar to what she faced in the Warwick Stakes. It's a small field with only seven runners going around and most of them prefer further ground than the mile. With the advantage of seeing her effortless first-up win, the bookmakers have made her virtually unbackable at current odds of $1.14.
Punters are bracing themselves for what might just be deja vu this Spring Carnival. With Winx gunning for her eleventh straight win on Sautrday, punters will be reflecting on a similar scene just a few years ago when the great mare Black Caviar was at similar unbackable odds and working her way towards 25 wins in-a-row.
Looking for the trifecta in the race I am taking Hartnell and Prized Icon for second and third.
Hartnell has a strong record over the mile and looked good running into second last start behind Winx. He should be better for that run and looks the pick of the remaining six runners. Goes well in the wet too.
Prized Icon gets the nod for third. A great 1600m record with two wins from two starts and both at Randwick. Doesn't mind it wet either.
Mike Steward
* Excl. NSW, VIC, WA, SA