Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick promises to be another exciting and ultra-competitive card of major Group racing.
Despite not having had the smoothest final lead up assignments, both Athabascan and Warmonger will present in lovely condition as they take their place amongst a full field for the Group 1 Sydney Cup.
A strong 2nd in this very race last year, Athabascan has progressed beautifully through the campaign. He was afforded little chance of featuring last week in the Chairman’s after getting a long way out of his ground in an unsuitably run race. On top of that, interference around the 1000m mark took the wind out of his sails. With the benefit of another day out and an extra run this time in, the gelding now fronts up from barrier 4 with the blinkers on and looks set to peak.
Athabascan finished 2nd in the 2024 Group 1 Sydney Cup.
Warmonger is another who had little chance of being in the finish last start after being caught wide and working throughout in the Tancred. He’s much better than that, as we saw with his fast-finishing 2nd in the Listed Randwick City Stakes two back against the current Sydney Cup favourite.
The wide draw doesn’t help the gelding’s cause, but he’s expected to flow forward in a similar manner to his Group 1 Queensland Derby win and if he’s afforded some luck, it won’t surprise to see him outrun his odds. The stable has always felt the 3200m journey could be up his alley, and we’ll certainly know the answer to that come Saturday afternoon.
Lady Laguna will round out the day at Randwick, dropping back in grade to contest the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes. Her run on return in the Galaxy was a pass mark, just finding the 1100m a bit sharp on return, particularly at a weight scale that didn’t favour her. Now back against the fillies and mares at SWP, and out to the 1200m journey at Randwick, the mare gets a much more favourable set up.
She’s enjoyed a nice 3-week space between runs with a good piece of work in company between races at Warwick Farm last week. At her best, she’ll be giving this race a great shake.
Good luck to those with a runner on Day 2 of The Championships!