Eight classy sprinters will contest the Listed Razor Sharp (1200m) at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday after Index Linked and Aeronautical failed to accept for the sprint race.
Howmuchdoyouloveme has been awarded the biggest advantage ahead of the Razor Sharp, jumping from barrier one. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The 2014 Razor Sharp field may be small but that won’t stop it from being an exciting, action packed race.
Continuing to lead the field is the Con Karakatsanis-trained Howmuchdoyouloveme, who has scored the inside run from barrier one. This is a great advantage for the six-year-old gelding who is set to carry the top weight of 59kg (up to five kilograms more than his rivals). This will be a reprieve for the gelding who carried 60kg or more his last two times out. Brenton Avdulla will be in the saddle for the first time.
Howmuchdoyouloveme was not seen all spring, with his connections choosing to spell the gelding following an unsuccessful winter campaign in Brisbane. He finished midfield in both the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) before failing to defend his title in the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes (1200m).
Set to make his return to the racetrack in just under six months, the gelding looks in form following two winning barrier trials in the past month.
Gerald Ryan will deliver a dual-pronged attack on the 2014 Razor Sharp, accepting with both Dothraki and Red Excitement.
Four-year-old gelding Dothraki will jump from barrier five with Blake Shinn in the saddle while five-year-old Red Excitement will be right next to his stable mate in barrier four.
Dothraki is set to carry 58kg in the race after finishing in the first two his last three times out, including the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) on November 29.
Red Excitement meanwhile has spent even longer off the track than Howmuchdoyouloveme. The gelding was last seen winning the Eatability Handicap (1600m) back in February, which capped off three successive wins.
Team Hawkes’ Our Boy Malachi is sure to be favourite when the Razor Sharp betting market opens at Ladbrokes.com.au following a last start win of both the Fly Handicap (1100m) and Starlight Stakes in November.
The 2014 Razor Sharp will likely be the gelding’s last start this summer with connections looking to aim him at group racing in the autumn. With an amazing record of 15 wins from 17 starts, he definitely deserves the chance.
The Clarry Conners-trained Fare Well just missed out on a placing in the Starlight Stakes last time out and the mare will need to overcome a start from the widest gate on Saturday.
Check out the complete 2014 Razor Sharp final field and barrier draw below.
Make sure your Ladbrokes.com.au online betting is open in time for when the market opens shortly.
2014 Razor Sharp Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5x2056x79x | HOWMUCHDOYOULOVEME | Con Karakatsanis | Brenton Avdulla | 1 | 59kg | 103 |
| 2 | x35138x212 | DOTHRAKI | Gerald Ryan | Blake Shinn | 5 | 58kg | 101 |
| 3 | x1x1511x11 | OUR BOY MALACHI | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | James McDonald | 3 | 57kg | 99 |
| 4 | 214x23111x | RED EXCITEMENT | Gerald Ryan | Adam Hyeronimus | 4 | 57kg | 99 |
| 5 | x43394x127 | THAT’S A GOOD IDEA | Peter & Paul Snowden | Joshua Parr | 6 | 57kg | 99 |
| 6 | x11221x259 | CRADLE ME | David Pfieffer | – | 7 | 54kg | 93 |
| 7 | x68x1375x0 | TESTARHYTHM | Benjamin Smith | – | 2 | 54kg | 90 |
| 8 | 0122×20724 | FARE WELL | Clarry Conners | Jason Collett | 8 | 54kg | 83 |
