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| Sumita Pawar |
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The historical Gr.1 Epsom Handicap is one of the main hights of weekend racing at Randwick. First run in 1865, only 15 mares have tasted success in this prestigious race over the years.
In shocking news, the race favourite, Pericles, was scratched when the James Cummings-trained gelding was found to have blood in its near side nostril and trachea after completing trackwork.
The withdrawal opened doors for Williamsburg, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, to secure a start in the race.
Now, let's take a closer look at each horse set to line up on Saturday:
1 – MY OBERON:
This horse has adapted well to Australian conditions and racing this spring. It caught the eye in both the Tramway Stakes and the 7 Stakes. With a strong second-place finish in the Doncaster earlier this year, it has proven itself over the track and distance.
3 – THE INEVITABLE:
This pint-sized galloper is often underrated but has shown its toughness. It charged home late for a second-place finish in the Theo Marks when resuming, and last autumn it finished a close third at weight-for-age in the All-Star Mile.
4 – GOING GLOBAL:
Although this horse hasn't replicated its US form in Australia, where it won multiple Group races, it has shown improvement in its two spring runs. However, it still needs further improvement to compete in this race. It has won up to 1800m.
5 – CONVERGE:
A Group 1-winning miler at Randwick, Converge has had mixed form since beating Anamoe in the 2021 Randwick Guineas. It finished fourth in the Bill Ritchie first-up and requires a firm track to perform at its best.
6 – GOLDEN MILE:
Golden Mile has had an inconsistent preparation, with setbacks in the Missile Stakes and the Winx Stakes. However, it bounced back with a win in the Theo Marks. It is a two-time winner at a mile but faces a challenge from barrier 21.
7 – KIRWAN'S LANE:
This horse won Randwick's Ingham Handicap last year but hasn't performed well since then. It finished three lengths away in both the Theo Marks and the Shannon Stakes. The Randwick mile is its best distance.
8 – HOPE IN YOUR HEART:
Impressive first-up, this horse caught the eye with a strong finish in the Tramway Stakes. While it hasn't won recently, it has performed well in top races like the Golden Eagle and Doncaster Mile. The addition of blinkers may provide an extra boost.
9 – DIAMIL:
Diamil has been held in both its runs this preparation and performs best on rain-affected tracks. However, it is unlikely to get any assistance in that regard for this race.
10 – KOVALICA:
Although Kovalica's first-up performance was below expectations, it looked sharp in recent trials and gains the services of the in-form jockey Joao Moreira. It is unbeaten second-up and performs well on good tracks.
11 – NUGGET:
A consistent performer, Nugget arrives here second-up after a good showing in the Theo Marks, finishing fourth. It has a proven record at Group 1 weight-for-age level and performs well at a mile.
12 – POUNDING:
Pounding comes to Sydney with solid Melbourne weight-for-age form. It finished fifth behind The Inevitable and Nugget in the All-Star Mile and has shown improvement in its recent runs. It performs best on firm ground.
13 – COMMUNIST:
Communist has been disappointing in its two runs this preparation but previously won the Randwick Guineas and performed well in the George Ryder Stakes. A recent Randwick trial showed some promise.
14 – DUKE DE SESSA
Duke de Sessa is a racehorse who recently arrived from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable in Australia. In his debut race, he finished eighth but showed promise by being only 3-1/4 lengths behind the winner in the Doncaster Mile. He then took a break and resumed racing in the Memsie Stakes, where he was not favored by bettors and finished 4-1/4 lengths behind the winner. However, for this upcoming race, he will carry less weight, which could work to his advantage. The stable behind him is well-respected in the industry.
15 – MADAME POMMERY
Madame Pommery is a talented racehorse who has previously won a Group 1 race over a mile. In her first race back after a break, she narrowly missed out on victory, finishing second to Pericles in the Spring Preview. On that day, she carried 1kg less weight than the winner, but in this race, she will carry 3.5kg less weight. Unfortunately, she did not show much improvement in her second race, the Theo Marks. However, one thing to note is that she performs well on softer ground.
16 – DEMOCRACY MANIFEST
Democracy Manifest delivered an impressive performance in his previous race, breaking the track record in the Cameron Handicap. This was his second race after returning from a break, with his first race being in the Tramway, which was dominated by horses that prefer to lead. It is worth mentioning that the last horse to win the Cameron Handicap and then the Epsom was Excellerator in 2002. Recent history is not in Democracy Manifest's favor, but his previous performance cannot be ignored.
17 – REDIENER
Rediener won the Bill Ritchie Handicap, which has proven to be a strong lead-up race to the Epsom since 2010. This lightly-raced gelding has been steadily progressing through the ranks in recent months, going from a Benchmark 68 level to winning two Group 3 races. He has proven himself over the mile distance and has a favorable draw, similar to his winning run in the Bill Ritchie.
18 – BARBIE'S FOX
Barbie's Fox has been competing in races in Sydney recently. She encountered bad luck in the Winter Stakes but managed to secure a victory in the Winter Challenge. In the Bill Ritchie, she made up ground in the later stages but was not a serious threat for the win. The mile distance suits her, and she will benefit from a good draw and a light weight.
19 – WATERFORD
Waterford caught everyone's attention on the way home, finishing third in the Theo Marks Stakes. Last week, he showed promise once again by securing a placing in the Shannon Stakes. Unfortunately, his chances have been compromised by drawing barrier 20, as he has never been tested at the mile distance. However, being third-up and carrying the limit weight, Waterford is expected to reach his peak form with jockey Zac Lloyd in the saddle.
20 – OLENTIA
Olentia's first-up victory was nothing short of impressive, especially considering she had to race wide throughout the race. However, luck hasn't been on her side since then, with less favorable performances in the Tramway Stakes and the Bill Ritchie. Despite this, she did manage to record the best last 200m split in her last outing. Stepping up to the mile distance for the first time, Olentia gives the impression that she will thrive in this longer race. The only obstacle she faces is the tricky barrier 17, which may pose a challenge.
21 – WILLIAMSBURG
Williamsburg showed significant improvement in his second-up run, finishing gallantly in second place in the Shannon Stakes. During the autumn season, he proved himself to be among the top contenders in his age group, finishing fifth in the Randwick Guineas and third in the Rosehill Guineas. With a favorable draw, Williamsburg is in a good position to secure a favorable run in the race.
22 – POLITICAL DEBATE
After disappointing in the Bill Ritchie Handicap, Political Debate has been equipped with blinkers to help improve his performance. Prior to that, he showed promise in the Spring Preview and a benchmark 100 handicap. Unfortunately, drawing barrier 22 has not been favorable for his chances in this race.