September 15, 2016
The Sydney Spring Carnival makes its way to Royal Randwick for Colgate Optic White Stakes Day this Saturday, 17 September.
Racegoers will be able to enjoy all of the action on and off the track for an affordable price when pre-purchasing a Sydney Spring Carnival ticket bundle, which offers racegoers five general admission tickets for $50.
Valid pre-purchased event tickets include return travel to Randwick Racecourse on train services (bounded by Bomaderry, Goulburn, Bathurst and Dungog stations) as well as event shuttle buses that will run from Central and Bondi Junction stations.
At the track, ambassadors Megan Blake Irwin and Jessica Song will assist in judging the Instagram #SplashOfRed fashion competition. Entrants are to incorporate a red to their race day ensemble and upload their picture to Instagram with the hashtag #SplashOfRed to win a lunch for two people at Royal Randwick this spring.
For guests wanting to make their race day more memorable, a gif gif swing set booth will be located on the Octagonal Lawn for photo opportunities and for all wanting to showcase their pearly whites, the Colgate Optic White Smile competition is offering a cash prize of $1000 judged by ambassador Jennifer Hawkins.
However the star of the day is Chris Waller’s Winx, who will line up as the $1.15 TAB Fixed Odds favourite in the racing feature of the day, the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes.
This will be the last chance for Sydney-siders to see champion mare Winx in her home town this spring when she lines up in the feature in the hope of securing her eleventh consecutive win.
Patrons will be able to support the super mare and a great charity by purchasing a Winx pin in the Pin and Win competition.
The Winx Pin and Win carries a cash prize of $1000 and all funds raised from the sale of the pins will be donated to the NSW Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Trust (TRT).
Japanese import Tosen Stardom will have his second run under the guidance of new trainer Darren Weir and has opened on the second line of betting against Winx at $11.00 TAB Fixed Odds.
Similarly, John O’Shea-trained Hauraki has also opened at $11.00 TAB Fixed Odds. The five-year-old will be looking for back-to-back wins this run, however has never been successful over the mile.
The Group 2 $200,000 Ascend Trophies Hill Stakes has a field of 8 runners set to face the starter.
Since 1993, 16 gallopers have used the Chelmsford Stakes as their final lead up run before clinching the staying event.
The 2016 Chelmsford Stakes was won this year by Hartnell who is nominated and $1.60 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the 2000m test.
The five-year old gelding dominated with an eight length win in the Chelmsford Stakes and is proven over the distance on a similar surface.
Behind Hartnell punters cannot split Preferment and Magic Hurricane, on the second line of betting, with both opening at $9.00 TAB Fixed Odds.
Preferment from Chris Waller Racing has been successful in three of his five career wins over the distance and has won on two occasions second-up.
Godolphin’s Magic Hurricane finished second in this race in 2015 and went on to take out the Group 1 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan a fortnight later.
Adult general admission tickets are available for $20.00 at ticketek.com.au.
Gates Open at 11.00am with the first race at 12.15pm.
Royal Randwick offers a bus service running from Eddy Avenue directly to the course, with return services later in the day.
For all ticketing, hospitality, racing and general information visit www.theATC.com.au.