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Aramayo on a G1 Australian Derby path at Randwick

Mike Hedge

The task of winning Godolphin’s second successive G1 Randwick Guineas falls to the talented colt Aramayo at Randwick on Saturday, 9 March.

A “victim of circumstances” at his latest outing in the G2 Autumn Classic at Caulfield, Aramayo (James McDonald) brings with him the fitness gained from his two runs this time in and is returning to a track that should favour him.

“He’s set for the best effort of his campaign so far,” trainer James Cummings said.

“He’s back to the scene of his career-best performance in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes."

“And having been a victim of circumstances last start at Caulfield, he has a reserve of stored up energy that he can produce on Saturday.”

Aramayo finished a luckless second in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes last year, a performance followed by a second placing in the G2 Moonee Valley Vase and a fair sixth in the G1 Victoria Derby.

On a Derby path again, he meets boom colt The Autumn Sun and brilliant filly Nakeeta Jane.

Viridine (James McDonald) is among a small but select group of sprinters that might normally be too sharp for him in the G2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick.

But Cummings is hoping the horse who won his first four starts will have a new attitude to racing that can assist him in reproducing his best.

“He’s had a solid preparation and this will be his first start since being gelded,” the trainer said.

“There’s no doubt that even though the field is small, he meets serious weight-for-age opposition and he’ll have to be close to his top to be competitive.”

“But he performed extremely well in this race last year when he was fourth to Redzel and he enjoys being at Randwick.”

 The Godolphin Group-race contingent at Randwick is completed by Harmattan in the G3 Aspiration quality and Resin in the G3 Wenona Girl Stakes.