The Sydney Spring Carnival officially kicks off this weekend with George Main Stakes Day at Randwick Racecourse. The main event of the day is the G1 1600m feature and we have taken some time to analyse the race, sort through each of the runners and provide our best George Main Stakes tips.
The final field of 9 horses includes six from the G1 Winx Stakes a month ago, with three of those six having had another run since. Three horses come into this race having contested the G2 1600m Chelmsford, won by Think It Over, while three others have come out of the G2 1400m Tramway.
Eight-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant tops the market at even money, hoping to do one better than her run in the Winx Stakes four weeks ago. She is then followed by Think It Over, who came out of the Winx Stakes and has since won the Chelmsford, beating home two of his rivals for this race.
Despite the small field, this looks to be a cracking edition of the George Main Stakes! Read on below to find out runner by runner preview of the 2021 edition.
1. Kolding (4) – $8
Jockey – Tim Clark
Trainer – Chris Waller
The defending champion of this race hasn’t been the same this preparation and can’t see how he flips the script with some give in the turf. Has won over this track/distance twice, but has only finished in the top three of a 1600m race once in his last four preps.
2. Think It Over (6) – $4.50
Jockey – Nash Rawiller
Trainer – Kerry Parker
On this day last year Think It Over finished 2nd in a BM88 and is now a Group One winner and comes into this on the back of a Group Two win over this track/distance. He has finished in the top two in all four of his 3rd up runs and has finished in the top two in five of his eight runs on soft tracks. Could he upset Verry Elleegant?
What a finish in the Chelmsford Stakes!
Think It Over is now a dual WFA winner after chasing down Riodini 👊@kjparkerracing @nashhot @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/RPiEZit6Iv
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 4, 2021
3. Cascadian (9) – $11
Jockey – Hugh Bowman
Trainer – James Cummings
You wouldn’t believe it but last time out Cascadian had another flashy finish for fourth! It is becoming harder and harder to follow him but he has conditions to suit here. Two of his six career wins have been third up, three of his six career wins have been at 1600m and four of his six career wins have been on soft tracks. He won the Doncaster Mile here when third up in Autumn.
4. Star Of The Seas (5) – $21
Jockey – Sam Clipperton
Trainer – Chris Waller
Was disappointing first up in the Winx but then ran well in the G2 1400m Tramway, finishing 2.7L off Zaaki. Is 5:1-1-1 when third up but was 4.45L off in the All Star Mile in Autumn and 11 of 17 in the Epsom Handicap last spring when third up and may not be able to match it with the better chances.
5. Riodini (1) – $17
Jockey – Rachel King
Trainer – G Waterhouse & A Bott
It was an eye-catching performance in the Chelmsford, jumping to the front and almost leading pillar to post. He should lead again here and is 2/2 on soft surfaces but is still yet to win at Randwick, yet to win at 1600m and this race has another level of class to it.
6. Lion’s Roar (8) – $41
Jockey – Regan Bayliss
Trainer – John O’Shea
This four-year-old’s best victory came over the Randwick mile, winning the 2021 Randwick Guineas in the Autumn. He beat Mo’unga home that day, who has come out and beaten most of this field this preparation, but his first up run in the Tramway was ordinary. While he is 2/2 second up, he hasn’t won on a soft surface and will find this too tough.
Champion trainer Chris Waller has won five of the past six running’s of the George Main Stakes.
This year the Waller stable will saddle up four runners including the warm favourite Verry Elleegant. pic.twitter.com/rmpzPt0Hzh— Nick Quinn (@Quinny_1) September 15, 2021
7. Verry Elleegant (2) – $2
Jockey – James McDonald
Trainer – Chris Waller
The champion mare is back at the races after four weeks off following her 2nd in the Winx Stakes. Verry Elleegant hasn’t lost back to back races in the same prep since the start of her Autumn 2020 prep and gets conditions here to suit perfectly. She thrives second up, has only missed the placings twice from 13 runs on soft and will only get better with the rise in distance. Can you take $2 though?
8. Shout The Bar (3) – $41
Jockey – Kathy O’Hara
Trainer – G Waterhouse & A Bott
Always looks to be a talented mare but has won just one of nine races since the start of last Spring. She has won over 1600m, has won second up and has three wins from five runs on soft tracks, but is she as good as these under WFA conditions?
9. Hungry Heart (7) – $14
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy
Trainer – Chris Waller
Was held up as she was building momentum in the Winx and it cost her a good run, but would she have actually made a splash in the placings? She will continue to get better with the rise in distances, given she has won group races at 1500m, 2000m and 2400m. The worry is that she prefers good tracks and that may cost her against some genuine WFA horses.
Verry Elleegant has no luck but the story is Kolding who returns to form winning the Group 1 George Main Stakes. @cwallerracing
🎥 @7horseracing pic.twitter.com/rDRpSooFhf
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 19, 2020
Final Word
Things seem to be lined up perfectly for Verry Elleegant here. She rises in distance, gets a soft track and when looking at the history of this race, eight of the last 11 runnings of the George Main have been won by the favourite. Doubting this talented mare makes the smartest of punters look like a fool, as was seen on Royal Turnbull Stakes Day last Spring when she won on a good track despite many penning her. While she is definitely the horse to beat, we can’t justify dipping in at $2 when there are other live chances in the race.
Four of the last six winners have come into this race third up, with three of those running in the Winx and then the Chelmsford. That leaves Think It Over and Cascadian, the only two who have had that preparation, as our main chances based on the data presented to us. Think It Over’s finish in the Chelmsford to steal the victory from Riodini was incredible but we are siding with Cascadian at the odds.
The Godolphin camp think very highly of this gelding and we think he will be able to replicate his third up run over this track & distance in Autumn, when winning the G1 Doncaster Mile. He is a bit of an enigma and almost always impossible to catch, but we can’t let him go around $11 in such a small field and given Sportsbet are offering bonus back up to 4th, you should be safe to either win or get a bonus back as a worst case scenario!
Best George Main Stakes Tip: Cascadian – Win ($11)
There is more Group One racing happening this weekend! If you want to check out our Runner-By-Runner analysis of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, click here!
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our Makybe Diva Stakes page for all your punting needs!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of Sportsbet.
