At Sydney’s prestigious Royal Randwick racecourse, the Australian Turf Club will present a ten-race Civic Stakes Day programme on Saturday, 20 June, with more than $1.5 million in prize money scheduled across a diverse afternoon of racing. The meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. and conclude at 4:25 p.m., highlighted by the $200,000 Drinkwise Civic Stakes over 1400 metres. The card will feature a combination of sprint and middle-distance contests, providing opportunities for horses across a variety of grades and age groups.
Opening proceedings, the TAB Highway Handicap will be contested at 11:00 a.m. over 1200 metres for horses aged three years and older, with $120,000 in prize money available. Exit Fee, Tartaglia, Hurry Miss and Chains Of Love will be among the expected runners for the sprint event, which will launch the programme and set the tone for the day.
Following shortly after, the Midway Handicap will be run at 11:35 a.m. over 1600 metres for three-year-olds and older horses. The $120,000 contest will feature Forbidden Riff, Captain Fenkel, Tambeloa and Hereward among the principal contenders as the field tackles the Randwick mile.
Attention will then turn to the Schweppes Handicap at 12:10 p.m., a $160,000 race over 1600 metres restricted to three and four-year-olds. Duvana, Taka Speed, Mcadam and Nitro will headline the anticipated field in a contest that will bring together several progressive performers from the younger ranks.
The afternoon will gather momentum with the Kia Ora Bloodlines To Headlines Handicap at 12:45 p.m. Run over 1300 metres for three-year-olds, the $160,000 event will include Hello Captain, Cheeky Smirk, Pimlico and Shady Road among the leading runners. The race will provide another valuable opportunity for emerging talent to compete for significant prize money.
Adding further depth to the card, the B&J Guttering & Metal Roofing Handicap will take place at 1:20 p.m. over 1800 metres. Bravissima, Amplify, Shangri La Impact and Pleasure Artist will be among the horses expected to contest the $160,000 feature, with the extended distance likely to test stamina and tactical versatility.
Midway through the programme, the Toyota Forklifts Handicap will be staged at 1:55 p.m. over 1800 metres for horses aged three years and older. Nellie Leylax, Collect Your Cash, Sky Lab and Les Vampires will be among the key runners in the $160,000 contest, which will continue the middle-distance theme during the centre portion of the meeting.
Sprint specialists will take centre stage in the Ensure – Workplace Risk Solutions Handicap at 2:30 p.m. The $160,000 race over 1000 metres will feature Ice Kool, Big Red Tequila, Harry Got Styles and Polyglot among the expected starters. With only a short trip available, early speed and race positioning will be important factors.
Later on the card, the Cactus Imaging Handicap will be conducted at 3:05 p.m. over 1200 metres for three-year-olds and older horses. Golden Decade, Bustling, Thunderlips and Imperial Force will be among the runners expected to line up for the $160,000 event, adding further depth to the afternoon’s sprinting programme.
Feature-race honours will belong to the Drinkwise Civic Stakes at 3:45 p.m. The $200,000 contest over 1400 metres will attract a quality field headed by Eliyass, Bosustow, General Salute and Zabiari. As the showcase race of the afternoon, it will provide the focal point of the meeting and will bring together a strong group of experienced performers competing for black-type success.
Bringing the meeting to a close, the Ranvet “Robbie Hoffmann” Handicap will be run at 4:25 p.m. over 1400 metres for horses aged three years and older. Glorious Moments, Zouna, Green Shadows and Sergeant Major will be among the expected runners competing for the $160,000 prize in the final event of the day.
With competitive fields assembled throughout the programme and substantial prize money offered across all ten races, Royal Randwick’s Civic Stakes Day meeting will provide an important fixture on the Sydney racing calendar. The combination of established performers, emerging talent and the feature Civic Stakes will ensure a varied and high-quality afternoon of racing from start to finish.
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