Dual Group 1 winner Ace High was a late inclusion to the high quality list of nominations for the Group 1 $1m Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Ace High, above, was a late inclusion in the nominations for the Randwick Guineas at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer David Payne said that he was certain he had entered Ace High for the Randwick Guineas for the three year olds but the Victoria Derby winner’s name wasn’t among the initial list of nominations.
Luckily for Payne and Ace High’s connection the entry deadline was extended by the Australian Turf Club until 11am on Tuesday after only fifteen three year olds made up the original list.
“I don’t know what happened. I put the entry in with the others but it didn’t show up,” David Payne told AAP.
“We noticed it straight away so it has been fixed.”
Ace High was a dual Group 1 winner during the 2017 Spring Carnival with victories in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.
The High Chaparral colt has had two runs back for the Autumn over the sprint distances at Rosehill for a fifth to Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 $200,000 Sydney Markets Limited Expressway Stakes (1200m) on February 3 and a fifth to Kementari in Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) three weeks later.
The Gerald Ryan trained Trapeze Artist and James Cummings’ Kementari are also nominated for the Randwick Guineas.
Even though Ace High has shown his best form over the longer journeys, Payne is happy to try to win a Group 1 race over the tough Randwick 1600m course.
“He only gets better as he gets further and it’s Randwick so it’s a tough 1600,” Payne said.
“He is building up well.”
“He’s definitely on the right track, he’s looking a million dollars and now we have to keep him in that shape.
“If he could win a race like this it would double his value, a 1600m Group 1, that’s the reason we wanted to have a go at it.’’
Hobartville Stakes runner up Pierata is also nominated for the Randwick Guineas along with third placegetter D’Argento who is one of five Chris Waller trained horses entered for the Group 1 for the three year olds, the other are Tangled, Kaonic, Paret and Tangmere.
Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir has also nominated Peaceful State who ran a cracking race last Saturday to finish second to Grunt in the Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Hobartville Stakes winner Kementari has been installed as the early favourite for the Randwick Guineas at $2.30 with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of D’Argento at $4.60 and Pierata at $6.
Early betting for the 2018 Randwick Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.30 Kementari, $4.60 D’Argento, $6 Pierata, $7.50 Trapeze Artist, $11 Ace High, Peaceful State, $15 Kaonic, $16 Age Of Fire, $26 Siege Of Quebec, Sully, Villermont, $51 Paret, Tangled, $101 Condor, Tangmere, $201 Capital Gain.
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