Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in pedigree and overseas international racing. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Horse Racing – Results’, ‘Simulcast Preview'’ and Simulcast oversea races.

Randwick Racecourse – Track Analysis (Doncaster Mile Day):

As the biggest venue in the eastern part of Sydney, the Randwick Racecourse features a rectangularly configured 2227m outer course, 28m wide with the homestretch reaching 410m that grades slightly uphill towards the finish. Together with the customary fast fractions in Australian racing, Randwick, of its ample track width and subtly uphill stretch runs, generally favours closers – unless significant track bias pops up on a particular day.

All group prizes will be contested over different distances in the Doncaster Mile Day. The featured 1600m Doncaster Mile field has a 600m stretch of turf to sort themselves out before the first turn – and with this big prize attracting an over-subscribed cast as often, horses breaking from out wide, provided a fast strip, will be slightly disadvantaged. Meanwhile, both the P J Bell Stakes and the T J Smith Stakes over 1200m also feature a 600m run-in before the first turn, and stall assignments likewise should not matter much – unless, yet again, when full fields go to the post. Circumstances are roughly the same for the 1400m ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes, where runners would file into a steady yet sweeping bend, then cruise through a 400m straight before hitting a much tighter second turn. Then for the 2000m Adrian Knox Stakes, the 2400m Australian Derby and the 2600m Chairman’s Quality – all deep routes with presumably moderate early pace – stall assignments bear further less significance.

In last year’s Doncaster Mile, the track was listed as heavy, rank outsider NETTOYER ridden by James Innes Jnr, dropping way back early and going widest into the far turn, managed to overhaul the entire field from out wide and post a huge upset, while STAR OF THE SEAS, Sam Clipperton’s mount, sneaked up on the rail from off the pace likewise to snatch second, and BRANDENBURG, Glen Boss aboard, stalked mid-pack before launching his bid, but was out-gamed down the lane, and could only settle for third. 

As inclement weather persists in the Sydney area by March – that has caused delays and cancellations repeatedly – Randwick has not been in action since 6th March, a race day when the going was listed as good, and the portable rail was up 3m out, with no particular bias. Meanwhile, as mid-week showers will give way to sunny skies heading into this weekend, track conditions at Randwick would hopefully improve to cater for a star-studded day of top competition.

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