Royal Randwick takes centre stage the Saturday with a triple-header of Group 1 racing.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
The Epsom Handicap, The Metropolitan, and Flight Stakes are poised to headline what promises to be a mammoth day on the track.
The Premiere Stakes will also be run and won with the Group 2 feature, a crucial lead up to the $20M The Everest to be run on October 18th.
I've delved deep into the form for all ten races and you can find all my detailed selections below in my Epsom Handicap Day Preview.
Don't forget to also check out our The Punters' Playbook: Royal Randwick Spring Carnival Deep Dive for more track insights!
Race 1: (12:05pm AEST) MIDWAY HANDICAP BM72 1800M
No. 6 SUNSET PARK
SUNSET PARK has been racing well and she presents hard fit.
The Brad Widdup trained mare recorded a dominant second up victory over 1800m at Hawkesbury and has been solid in two subsequent runs.
She stepped out over the 1800m at Rosehill following her win and after taking up the lead from the outside alley, she was just run down late but stuck on gamely for second.
Last start over 1900m, she again took up the running but was just found wanting late.
The drop back to 1800m will suit and the low draw is a big plus for this daughter of Sea The Stars.
Alysha Collett has partnered her in six of her eight starts, including all three wins and she stays aboard in the first on Epsom Handicap Day.
Race 2: (12:40pm AEST) ARROWFIELD BREEDERS' PLATE 2YO C&G SW GROUP 3 1000M
No. 2 EVICTION NOTICE
EVICTION NOTICE could not have been more impressive when winning an 850m Kensington trial and I think he's set for a big debut.
Prepared by the Waterhouse / Bott team, the son of 2021 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Stay Inside has just been given the one public trial where he launched out of the gates, controlled the heat and powered away to post a 7.8 length margin on the line.
He was ridden out but his rivals were also under heavy pressure in the straight and couldn't take any ground off the colt.
He looks ready to go, and Tim Clark has elected to stick with him in the Breeders' Plate.
Race 3: (1:15pm AEST) KEENELAND GIMCRACK STAKES STAKES 2YO FILLIES SW GROUP 3 1000M
No. 5 HOME INVASION
HOME INVASION is another youngster from the Waterhouse / Bott yard that comes into the 2025 Gimcrack Stakes off an impressive trial win.
The Home Affairs filly also lines up off just the one 850m Kensington trial and she looked to do everything right.
She jumped away clean, took up the running and gave a good kick when placed under pressure.
Adam Hyeronimus was aboard in the trial, and he'll do the steering from the inside draw.
Race 4: (1:50pm AEST) PLUNGE RIGHT DULCIFY STAKES 3YO SW LISTED 1600M
No. 4 WITHOUT PEER
WITHOUT PEER has performed well in all three starts and looks nicely placed here in the Dulcify Stakes as he steps out to the mile for the first time.
The Ciaron Maher trained gelding kicked off his career in fine style with a solid debut win over 1200m at Rosehill and he charged home late over the 1300m at his following outing, only to miss by the barest of margins.
Off a wide gate last start in the Ming Dynasty he tried to slot in but was caught deep in the early part but still finished off strongly to claim third.
A progressive type, I think he'll continue to rise through the grades.
Race 5: (2:25pm AEST) MELBOURNE STORM MILE BM94 HANDICAP 1600M
No. 19 IDLE FLYER
IDLE FLYER is two from two this preparation and I think she can make it three straight.
The daughter of Dundeel shot through along the rail to record a dominant victory when resuming over 1250m on the Kensington and she charged to the line second up to win by almost a length over the 1400m here.
With five wins from just nine starts, she's not short of talent and whilst she does rise in grade, she gets in beautifully with the allocation of 52kgs.
Ben Thompson will take the mount for Matthew Smith and barrier eight should see her afforded every chance.
Race 6: (3:00pm AEST) DARLEY FLIGHT STAKES 3YO FILLIES SW GROUP 1 1600M
No. 1 APOCALYPTIC
APOCALYPTIC has been triumphant in both the Furious Stakes and the Tea Rose and it's hard to see them turning the tables on her here in the 2025 Flight Stakes.
When resuming over the 1200m in the Furious Stakes, the Extreme Choice filly extended strongly over the final part to score by a head.
Out to the 1400m last start, she did it tough, three wide and exposed throughout but she was far too good over the concluding stages as she kicked away to score by over 1.6 lengths.
The way she finds the line suggests she'll relish the rise to the mile, and I think she'll prove too good for them once again.
Race 7: (3:35pm AEST) PRECISE AIR PREMIERE STAKES WFA GROUP 2 1200M
No. 1 JIMMYSSTAR
JIMMYSSTAR just found the 1000m too short when making his return in the Concorde Stakes and he's sure to appreciate the rise in trip as he steps out here in the Premiere.
Settling back at the tail, he was always chasing but picked up strongly late to finish fifth.
He's since trialled over 1030m, where after spearing out of the gates he sat second and kicked away to win the heat.
The Ciaron Maher trained six-year-old has continued to rise through the grades and with two Group 1 victories in the Autumn, he firmly established himself as one of the county's premier sprinters.
In the small field here, he can settle within striking distance and unleash late.
Race 8: (4:10pm AEST) TAB EPSOM HANDICAP GROUP 1 1600M
No. 4 AUTUMN GLOW
AUTUMN GLOW kept her unblemished record intact as she made it six from six last start in the Theo Marks Stakes.
The Chris Waller trained mare travelled beautifully throughout the 1300m event and her class shone through as she accelerated away over the final furlong to put up a 2.2 length margin on the line.
She certainly showed no ill effects from a gutsy first up win in heavy 10 conditions and back on a fairer surface last time, she was far too good.
A daughter of The Autumn Sun, the rise to the mile looks ideal for her and I think she's poised to record her first Group 1 success here in the Epsom Handicap.
Race 9: (4:45pm AEST) ASAHI SUPER DRY METROPOLITAN HANDICAP GROUP 1 2400M
No. 7 BIRDMAN
BIRDMAN showed plenty of fight to take out the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes last start and I think he'll be even better again as he steps out to the mile and a half journey.
It was the first win on Australian soil for the former Irish galloper and while he took some time to break through here, he did turn out some very encouraging staying performances in the autumn, and I think he'll continue to improve.
He was beaten only narrowly when resuming on the Spring Preview at Rosehill before producing a solid second up effort in the Chelmsford Stakes as he closed off nicely into fifth.
He certainly relished the rise to 2000m last time and having won over the 2414m and 2616m back in his homeland, there's a lot to like about him here.
He'll carry just 51.5kgs and there aren't too many better to have aboard in staying races than Kerrin McEvoy.
Race 10: (5:25pm AEST) KIA BRISBANE BRONCOS SPRINT BM94 1200M
No. 8 RAIKKOKEN
RAIKKONEN returns to the races in the last on Epsom Handicap Day.
Only lightly raced, the Bjorn Baker trained gelding has shown plenty of promise and hasn't always had the best luck.
He kicked off his latest campaign with a authoritative win over 1200m at Gosford which earnt him a trip to Brisbane to contest the Group 3 Fred Best.
Off the wide gate, he endured a tough run, exposed throughout and never closer than five wide, it was a gallant effort to finish only a length off them in fourth.
Returning to Randwick, he produced a solid effort to finish fourth in the Civic Stakes prior to a spell.
With three wins and a second placing from four starts at 1200m, he looks ideally placed and he's ready to go off two solid trials.
