Friday night racing picks for Royal Randwick

There’s a saying in Australian horse racing circles, that Derby Day in Melbourne is like Christmas for adults. Tonight’s meeting at Royal Randwick, Day 1 of The Championships, is Sydney’s response to the Derby Day meeting at Flemington.

Of the 10 races programmed tonight, nine are stakes races, and four of them are Group 1 events. Thanks to the coronavirus, there won’t be the usual crowd of 50,000 this year, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is one of the best meetings on the Australian racing calendar, and there will still be 10 winners!

It’s important to note there has been a fair amount of rain around Sydney this week, so be sure to look for horses who enjoy getting their toe in the ground. The first race is at 9:10 p.m. ET. Here are a couple runners to follow, on what promises to be an exciting night of racing action from Down Under.

Race 1: #1 Rulership

This classy colt returns from a break, after he showed a tremendous amount of talent during his first campaign. There were excuses for his last run, which was in one of Australia’s premier 2-year-old races, the Blue Diamond (G1) at Caulfield, as he pulled up lame after that performance.

Tonight’s assignment is much easier, and he returns to the scene of his impressive debut win Jan. 25. He should get an easy lead from the inside barrier and will be extremely tough to run down.

Jockey Nash Rawiller cuddled him throughout a Randwick trial run last week, and that was over similar track conditions to what he’ll face tonight, which suggests he can handle the sting out of the ground.

Those 7-2 morning-line odds look like a value, so hopefully you can build a nice bank early!

Race 9, #19 Brandenburg

The Doncaster Handicap (G1) is often referred to as Australia’s fifth racing major, after the Melbourne Cup (G1), Caulfield Cup (G1), Cox Plate (G1), and Golden Slipper (G1).

Three-year-olds have a great record in the race, and Brandenburg fits the mold perfectly.

His three runs since he returned from a break have all been spectacular, and he drops significantly in weight under these handicap conditions. He is lightly raced, a progressing type, and runs a strong mile.

Another huge plus for Brandenburg is his jockey, Glen Boss. "Bossy" has won this race a record seven times, and on five of those occasions, it was on the back of a 3-year-old. Bossy will have options from the barrier, and while he will most likely opt to race on the speed, Brandenburg is so versatile that he can take a sit and storm home late if required.

The morning-line odds of 6-1 are about right, and Brandenburg should give you an excellent run for your money.

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