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Randwick Betting Tips for February 28, 2026 - Race-by-Race Preview for Verry Elleegant Stakes Day
Sydney marks the year's first Group 1 race meeting with a stellar lineup, including the much-anticipated Surround Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes. The event showcases top-class three-year-old fillies, experienced weight-for-age contenders, and races that could set the tone for the autumn carnival. Highlight races include Tactical Tips across 10 races, offering bettors the chance to explore elite prospects and promising favorites.
- Sydney hosts its first Group 1 meeting with 10 elite races including the Surround Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes
- Saturday's program features top-caliber three-year-old fillies and seasoned weight-for-age athletes
- Action-packed day shaping the autumn carnival with strategic betting insights
Expired
The Surround Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes headline Randwick’s first Group 1 meeting of 2026. (Getty)
Sydney hosts its first Group 1 meeting of the year via a stacked program featuring the Surround Stakes and the Verry Elleegant Stakes as dual highlights, with six Group races across the afternoon.
- Randwick Tips February 28
- Race 1 - 12:30PM Midway Handicap Tips (1100m)
- Race 2 - 1:05PM TAB Highway Handicap Tips (1000m)
- Race 3 - 1:40PM Asahi Super Dry Handicap Tips (2000m)
- Race 4 - 2:15PM Silver Slipper Stakes Tips (1200m)
- Race 5 - 2:50PM Catanach's Jewellers Skyline Stakes Tips (1200m)
- Race 6 - 3:25PM Proven Thoroughbreds Guy Walter Stakes Tips (1400m)
- Race 7 - 4:00PM The Chase Surround Stakes Tips (1400m)
- Race 8 - 4:40PM TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes Tips (1600m)
- Race 9 - 5:15PM HKJC World Pool Liverpool City Cup Tips (1300m)
- Race 10 - 5:55PM United Resource Management Handicap Tips (1200m)
The card brings together elite three-year-old fillies, established weight-for-age performers and deep supporting contests that could help shape the autumn carnival.
For a broader look at the top plays nationwide, see our Saturday’s Best Bets from around the country, while below is the full race-by-race preview and selections for the meeting.
Randwick Tips February 28
Race 1 - 12:30PM Midway Handicap Tips (1100m)
10. Bryant is a lightly raced three-year-old down in the weights, an often-favourable profile for Midway company, and he is looking to respond after a somewhat plain effort at Canterbury with blinkers now applied.
He was heavily backed when resuming prior to that, and the Ron Quinton stable is flying with three winners from its last six starters, including a Rosehill victory last Saturday and a Wyong double on Thursday.
4. Zaragoza is better placed back in grade and slightly down in distance after his January 24 miss, his prior form was sound and any rain around will not hurt his chances.
12. Change My Address ran into a smart Banjora when well held fresh and could spike down in the weights.
11. The New Sinatra may be better placed a bit softer but he is going well and could be the blowout.
Selections: 10-4-12-11.
Race 2 - 1:05PM TAB Highway Handicap Tips (1000m)
7. Zampano has a good record with three wins and a third from six starts, and after a fair showing at Highway level last April, he saluted on heavy ground at Tamworth before a spell.
He has trialled well on his home track leading into this return and has tactical versatility while handling all surfaces.
6. Tough Guy is a big price but has done little wrong for the Melissa Dennett stable with three wins from four starts, the latest a return triumph on February 13, and he bolted in at his first two New South Wales starts last winter on wet tracks.
3. Neil was a Highway winner earlier in the season and while his recent Doomben return was ordinary there were excuses with a slow recovery reported post-race.
10. Mrs Goldberg comes out of Saturday metro company in Brisbane and beat a handy Fabulantes last month, who has since won his next two.
Selections: 7-6-3-10.
Race 3 - 1:40PM Asahi Super Dry Handicap Tips (2000m)
4. Bear On The Loose looks to have a prime opportunity to bounce back after not saluting since his Australian debut win in winter 2024, although he has remained mostly consistent since then.
He finds another gear on rain-affected tracks, his return was solid and he looks likely to control the race from barrier three.
6. Mr Monaco broke through at his third Australian start in October before a break, and while he lacked a turn-of-foot at a key stage on February 7 he picked up again late, with the rise in distance a plus.
1. Don Diego De Vega is better than his price suggests and two of his four wins have come first-up.
14. One Step Closer goes sharply up in distance but drops right down in the weights and could be a youngster on an Australian Derby path.
Selections: 4-6-1-14.
Race 4 - 2:15PM Silver Slipper Stakes Tips (1200m)
6. Pembrey heads south after a monster debut victory at Eagle Farm on February 14, where she led throughout on a wet track, and with the Golden Slipper looking well up for grabs it is no surprise to see Tony Gollan take this path.
James McDonald takes the reins and may still be looking for his Golden Slipper ride, with this Queenslander able to put herself in contention should she measure up here.
8. Hardanger looks the value, solid on debut behind Warwoven before being unsuited by the race shape in the Widden Stakes on January 31, and she now has a kinder draw.
1. By Choice was a debut winner at Randwick in December before heading down a Magic Millions path and has completed a trial since finishing third in the 2YO Classic.
4. Ciaron’s Star had excuses when third on debut and then enjoyed favours when saluting a fortnight ago, although this is harder.
Selections: 6-8-1-4.
Race 5 - 2:50PM Catanach's Jewellers Skyline Stakes Tips (1200m)
4. Warwoven created a sensation when scratched by vets in the lead-up to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic where he was set to start a short-priced favourite, and the Bjorn Baker-trained colt had impressed with two wins from two starts in December and January.
He has not been seen at the trials since missing that target after a short break, and it will be interesting to see what the betting does.
1. Fireball is also undefeated, having followed his Rosehill debut win with victory in the Inglis Millennium as a well-backed favourite, with James McDonald sticking and the extra 100m unlikely to trouble him.
9. Campione D’Italia has shown promise at the trials, including a strong hit-out on February 19 when he powered through the line, and while he disappointed on debut there were excuses when he pulled up lame.
11. Central Europe is respected in the market, the Chris Waller-trained colt having worked well in all three trials.
Selections: 4-1-9-11.
Race 6 - 3:25PM Proven Thoroughbreds Guy Walter Stakes Tips (1400m)
4. Verona Rose comes through the Group 3 Triscay Stakes on February 14, which looks the key form race, and visually her run was clearly the pick of the trio at the top of the market.
She showed plenty of promise throughout her three-year-old season, broke a drought at the end of spring at Flemington under Craig Williams, and now steps to 1400m second-up with Williams again aboard.
1. Manaal also contested the Triscay Stakes where she was runner-up in the 1200m affair and she brings strong second-up stats, having won three of four attempts.
10. Shohisha should not be underestimated after finishing second in her first summer hit-out before going to the line under a firm hold in her latest trial, and she remains lightly raced and could be the forgotten runner.
3. Firestorm must be respected on her fresh record, with four of her five career wins coming first-up.
Selections: 4-1-10-3.
Race 7 - 4:00PM The Chase Surround Stakes Tips (1400m)
1. Tempted has been consistent through her two-year-old season and into three-year-old company, including a comfortable first-up win in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes on February 7.
Her spring campaign culminated with a second to Ka Ying Rising, finishing ahead of Jimmysstar, Joliestar, Lady Shenandoah and Briasa, and those form lines rate well above this set weights fillies contest.
That Everest second was her only defeat at Randwick, although the 1400m is the query given she was beaten second-up over the trip last preparation in a fast-run Golden Rose.
3. Ole Dancer is a genuine threat after spelling on the back of a Group 1 Thousand Guineas win where she defeated Apocalyptic, with the second and third both winning at Group level at their next starts.
Her Flemington return was effectively a trial when snagged back early before working home for second, and with a 3kg set weights drop and possible rain she shapes as a major danger.
2. Apocalyptic had support first-up when finishing just behind Savvy Hallie and was given a pass mark, having dominated the Princess Series in spring before a narrow Thousand Guineas defeat.
6. Sunrays is the blowout, producing arguably the run of the Light Fingers with this trip in mind and could be peaking third-up.
Selections: 1-3-2-6.
Race 8 - 4:40PM TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes Tips (1600m)
8. Autumn Glow looks to extend her unbeaten run to ten and while genuine wet ground is a query, she was a first-up Heavy 10 winner last campaign over a trip short of her best.
She brings the strongest recent profile into this weight-for-age contest.
2. Sir Delius has quickly established himself as one of Australia’s most exciting prospects, highlighted by a dominant Group 1 Turnbull Stakes win at Flemington.
He was ruled out of the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup after veterinary scans identified a potential injury risk.
1. Ceolwulf is a four-time Group 1 winner at this distance who handles all surfaces, and while his Apollo return is easy to forgive he is a two-time second-up winner and warrants respect.
Two of his three Group 1 wins have come at this track and trip, and his most recent was a Heavy 9 Champions Mile victory.
7. Trinity College is the Australian debutant from the Chris Waller yard and a former Group 3 winner at Royal Ascot, with sound trials leading in.
He may be the value runner for exotics.
Selections: 8-2-1-7.
Race 9 - 5:15PM HKJC World Pool Liverpool City Cup Tips (1300m)
9. Axius continues to build a strong record, resuming with an eye-catching win at Randwick before overcoming trouble to win the Magic Millions Sprint seven days after finishing third on January 10.
He brings residual fitness, looked sharp in a recent trial and this shapes as another winnable race off the 53.5kg minimum.
2. Militarize has not won for some time but has remained thereabouts in decent company and his class must be respected, particularly if the rain arrives.
6. Media World has worked well in two trials and last prep came to hand quickly, finishing third up the Flemington straight before saluting at Listed level over 1400m.
10. Enriched was too bad to be true first-up but has since won a trial comfortably and could improve sharply.
Selections: 9-2-6-10.
Race 10 - 5:55PM United Resource Management Handicap Tips (1200m)
2. Bandi’s Boy is not the most reliable but is talented on his day, and while well beaten last week he was back and wide at Rosehill, which was exactly where you did not want to be on the day.
His prior form included three competitive stakes-level efforts before a freshen-up and a fourth on February 7, and three of his five wins have come at Randwick, two over this 1200m.
1. Cloudland brings strong fresh statistics with four wins and three placings from eight first-up attempts, and his last two victories have both come over this distance.
12. Mal Coupe steps up in grade off a Midway win but continues to tick every box with four straight victories, improved on heavy ground last winter and will roll forward carrying 5kg less than at his recent return.
6. Roselyn’s Star has been costly and looked to have his chance last time, although he conceded weight to Sixties who has since won at Group 3 level and is second favourite in the Australian Guineas market.
Selections: 2-1-12-6.
Verdict
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