Hawkesbury Guineas: Big Race Preview

Lightly raced filly Kylease has been installed as the clear favourite to win the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas on Saturday. This open handicap contest comes with a prize pool of $200,000 and it is among the most eagerly anticipated races in the standalone metro meeting at Hawkesbury. Agassi was expected to bid for glory following a fine win at Randwick on Monday, but trainer Anthony Cummings decided against a six-day back-up and the field looks open. Kylease leads the way with the bookmakers listed at Punters after enjoying a fine few months.

She finished second on her debut at Warwick Farm in January as she was edged by Lashes late on as they battled through heavy ground. Since then she has rattled off three consecutive victories and trainer Joe Pride is full of confidence heading into the Hawkesbury Guineas, despite a considerable step up in class and depth as she bids for a first black-type grade. He likened her to former Grade 1 winner Sacred Choice due to her winning blend of guts, toughness and pace.

“She’s a very fast filly with plenty of bottom to her,” said Pride. “You don’t often come across fillies as fast as she is that are as tough as her. Normally they are weak in some way but she’s not weak at all.” The trainer is impressed by the formidable fashion in which Kylease has finished races and that suggests she should be able to handle the step up to 1400m in the Hawkesbury Guineas on Saturday.

Last time out she cruised to victory by two and a quarter lengths under Corey Brown, who will ride once again on Saturday. Pride insists that Kylease continues to improve and he is excited to see her strut her stuff at a stakes race. “I’m confident she will run these sort of trips,” he said. “I think even a mile will be within her grasp going forward. I’m expecting her to run very well on Saturday.”

Punters clearly share in the confidence he has shown in Kylease as she has been backed in from $3.30 to $2.50. She has been assigned barrier three and she looks capable of holding the lead from there. Military Zone has drifted out to $4.20, while Trope is now priced at $4.33 to clinch a famous triumph in this race. They are bidding to follow in the footsteps of some fine victors, as this race has yielded several Group 1 winners in recent years.

Chautauqua won it in 2014 before going on to claim the fabled T J Smith Stakes at Randwick, and many hailed him as the best sprinter in the world. Last year’s winner, Sambro, looks like a superstar in the making, and top contenders like Hire, Alverta, Royal Discretion, Neeson, Pimpala Secret, Free Wheeling and Najoom have prevailed since the turn of the century. Boban, who finished second in 2013, went on to win multiple Group 1 races.

A field of 10 will gather for this year’s renewal, which is Race 7 at 3.30pm, with the track rated a Good 4 and the rail set to be in true position for the entire circuit. Military Zone has more experience than Kylease, with three wins in seven starts, but the gelding has not quite displayed as much promise. Trope, a son of Galileo, is also lightly raced, with three starts under his belt. He won on his debut at Kensington and then finished second in the Fireball Stakes at Royal Randwick in March, but disappointed when seventh of 12 at Randwick earlier this month.

Godolphin has accepted with Lonhro colt Ranier, who will come out of barrier eight with Tim Clark riding. He enjoyed a strong winning streak in the spring, and he clinched the Group 3 Carbine Stakes over 1600m at Flemington in November, but he has not lived up to his promise this autumn. He has had five starts during this preparation, and his trainer admits he has not made the necessary improvement, but feels he should enjoy the step down in trip in the Hawkesbury Guineas.

Cummings decided against running Agassi as he will be too tired following last weekend’s exploits, but he will send Glamour Cat to Hawkesbury instead. She likes this track, having won over 1100m here on her debut earlier this month. “Glamour Cat will get into the Hawkesbury Guineas so it’s either the high road or the low road with her,” he said. “The Guineas wouldn’t be a silly idea and she is not without a chance with 54 kilos.”

Mark Newnham’s Not A Single Doubt gelding Quackerjack, who picked up an impressive victory over 1300m at Kensington track last time out, has been handed barrier seven. He has four wins from 10 starts. Eawase, Sheriff, Come Along and Reiby’s Regent complete the field, but Kylease is the one to beat and it will be fascinating to see if she can continue on an upward curve in this race.