Randwick Horse Racing Tips for Chipping Norton Stakes 25/2/23
The WFA king arrives
GettyTagged: Horse Racing Tips
The Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes has been the stepping stone for many Autumn stars.
Recent winners include Verry Elleegant (2021,2022) and Winx (2016,2017,2018,2019).
This WFA battle is now contested over the famous Randwick mile after being held at Warwick Farm for many years.
Four-time winner Tie The Knot (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) had a stranglehold on this race once upon a time and remains one of only two horses to have won this race at both tracks, with Super Impose winning in 1991 and 1992.
Track Conditions
The track is rated a Heavy 8 as of Wednesday afternoon, and is expected to improve throughout the week.
The rail is out 3m the entire, runners who can find cover off the rails may be at an advantage.
Race 8 - Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m)(WFA)
The Map
There looks to be good early speed engaged, with Hinged (4) and Knights Order (7) likely to lead them up with Arapaho (2) and Anamoe (3) to settle just off them.
Law Of Indicies (6) and Montefilia (8) can both hold forward positions, but from their respective draws may settle a pair further back.
Fangirl (1) looks set to land 4 back the rail, while you can expect Mounga (11) to be ridden positively early to find cover in the running line midfield.
The remainder of the field will sit beyond midfield.
The Favourite
Anamoe, a winner of 7 Group 1's including the 2022 Cox Plate, comes off a soft victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes.
He's won 7 of his last 10 runs, with one failure coming on a Heavy 10 and the other two he pulled up with poor post-race recovery.
In short, he's a weight-for-age superstar and all things being equal he should prove that yet again on Saturday.
History/Key Form-lines
- History suggests that the very best gallopers win this race. The winners of the last 7 editions are Verry Elleegant (2), Te Akau Shark (1) and Winx (4)
- The Apollo Stakes is a key lead-up race, with 8 of the 12 runners coming through that form line
Best Racing Tips
1st Anamoe, the WFA champion of Australia, arrives here 2nd up and ready to add to his already impressive record. He loves the spacious Randwick track with a 7:5-1-0 record and fires 2nd up ( 5:3-1-1).
He's continued to mature and shows much more versatility in races and now has the ability to hold a forward position, which is what separates him from his competition.
The stable probably went to the well once too many times when they opted to run in the Mackinnon Stakes in the Spring, but they can be forgiven for having a crack.
He's come back as good as ever and will be much improved from his first-up win.
His last 4 winning margins have been under 1L, so at the $1.70 he may not give you the easiest of watches. However, he's a class animal who should put these away once again.
2nd Mounga, did enough first-up to suggest he can be right amongst it here.
He's produced very good figures at each of his past 5 races, ranging between 100 (last start when first-up) and 103.4 (which was the final run of his last prep).
These figures suggest that he is ultra-consistent and at his best, he can be right in the finish.
His second-up record of 5:1-2-1 also suggests he can feature in the finish.
The expected hot tempo will play into his hands and I suspect he'll be the one flying at them late.
3rd Hinged, produced her 2nd highest career rating last start of 101.3, suggesting she is back bigger and better than ever.
Her second-up record of 4:3-0-0 reads very well and she is getting closer and closer to that elusive Group 1 WFA win.
Last prep she only went down 1.3L to Anamoe when 2nd-up at this set-up. She rolls forward and makes her own luck out in front.
4th Fangirl, ran her 4th best career rating last start at 100.5, suggesting she probably has a length or so of improvement to come.
She is pressing for another Group 1 victory and will be well suited out to the mile.
She does need a dry deck to turn the tables on Anamoe, so if they can't get to a Soft 5 or better, her chances quickly diminish.
The barrier is another concern. She'll be pegged against the fence, three to four pairs back and will need plenty of luck in the home straight.
All ratings are courtesy of GTX.
There are thousands more tips available right now from media experts and other tipsters on the Tip Market at thegreattipoff.com.
MORE NEWS