Red-hot Redzel on the rise
SYDNEY’S super sprinter Redzel needs a top two finish to smash the $8 million prizemoney barrier in the Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Redzel returns to the track where he won the inaugural The Everest so brilliantly last spring with TAB Fixed Odds price assessors rating the gelding hot favourite at $1.50 favourite.
Trainer Peter Snowden said Redzel has improved since his narrow loss to Redkirk Warrior in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington last month and felt the only negative is his sprinter is staying at 1000m.
“I would have preferred the race to be a touch further, ideally it would be great if this was 1100m,’’ Snowden said.
“The other option for the horse was the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington (tomorrow) but looking at the spread of weights, there are 15 in the race and 13 are between 52.5kg and 50kg so we elected not to go there. But Redzel is very good and the ‘sting’ out of the Randwick track is no issue, he handles all surfaces.’’
Redzel has amassed $7,932,750 prizemoney in his 22-start career to be seventh on the all-time list behind Winx on $15,971,925.
A Challenge Stakes win would net connections another $287,000 while a second placing earns $94,000 which also ensures Redzel vaults over the $8 million mark.