Sydney: A comprehensive preview of every race at Rosehill

NOTE: RACES are assessed for a Soft 7. All horses are considered starters unless notified by Thursday at 1 PM. (N/R) denotes no rating.

RACE 1

11. SUGAR BELLA (N/R) is a promising filly from the always astute Danny Williams yard and we know from experience that one always has to respect his judgment when he brings one to town from Goulburn. This daughter of Australia’s winningest sire, Not A Single Doubt, has won both runs so far at home by 1.5-lens and 1.8-lens respectively. Those wins have been terribly similar - she’s sat off the pace and sailed down the outside and been too strong. She has gone 1200m, then 1400m and will have no problems going 1500m now. 12. FENCOURT (N/R) is a colt bred, raised and part owned by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan. The horse is trained by James Cummings, grandson of Sir Patrick’s lifelong friend so this would be a historic and no doubt emotional win for young James should it happen. The son of Cape Blanco was rock solid on debut at the provincials and he’s very well catered for on another big track and step-up in distance. 2. HIGH MIST (N/R) is a Waller trained High Chaparral racing at home over a VERY suitable trip.

RACE 2

1. ZAYAM (80) has been building up to a win and now that he gets to 2000m, it could be the day. The son of Shamardal is third-up tomorrow off two improving runs and he has the master judge of the middle distance, Hugh Bowman, to ride. I have watched closely all rep - from his trials - and I know how well he is this time in work. Gets the right race at the right time and the conditions made to order. 3. MAGICAL STANCE (76) has ben a costly conveyance for his support, often unlucky, sometimes flat out disappointing, but at his best - he’d be a real player here. The Ron Quinton trained gelding has some compelling numbers including 8s 0-2-3 at the venue and 1s 0-0-1 at the t/d. The draw (9 of 9) is not good, he’ll need a great ride from Jason Collett. I was risking 6. ESTEBAN (75) big time last start and I have to concede that I got it wrong, he won by almost 7-lens. That win at Rosehill in the Bm73 gave him the hat-trick by margins of 7.5-lens and 6.8-lens (twice). He is 3s 3w at the trip and 1 for 1 at the t/d and so clearly a progressive horse. It may be lunacy but I am going to take him on again and go with Zayam. Brave or stupid? Time will tell.

RACE 3

ANOTHER fabulously interesting TAB Highway Handicap this weekend with a huge field and form from all over the State. Anything goes in these races, you can get 100/1 shots or favs, that’s why punters should love them and why it has been such a great innovation by Racing NSW. I like the look of 10. AKIKIO GOLD (5) with Tommy Berry to ride. This Braidwood based daughter of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Spinning World is 13s 3-1-3 which is a pretty good record. She is third-up this weekend off a 6th and a 1st over 1200m both times. She’s won up to 1650m so I say the 1500m now is perfect for her. Nice draw. 5. LOSTASOCK (52) is a Canberra mare that has only won 3 from 23 but one of those rare wins was as recently as two starts ago at home at Canberra and it is a good old fashioned barnstormer! She backed up it with a nose 2nd when 9th of 9 at the 400m at Goulburn over 1400m after the 1200m win. Re the 1500m, it’s perfect - she’s won over a mile. Oh and a1so Lostasock very cleverly named - she has three white socks, so she’s missing one on his off hind. 1. EXPLOSIVE SCENE (60) is trained by all around champion bloke Marc Quinn son of the late, great Pat. This horse is very fit indeed and his only other run at the t/d was two starts back when he was runner-up to Sydney’s most improved horse, King’s Officer.

RACE 4

A VERY good F & M’s race here, ‘only’ 9 in it but anyone of them could win. I was all over 7. EXTENSIBLE (73) first-up and you’ll forgive me for saying that she was an absolute certainty beaten that day. She went down a nose but had she taken one or two other runs up the straight, she would have won by a half a length or more. It happens. Anyway, when it’s all said and done - this is the logical next step for her distance wise stepping up from the 1350m to 1500m with all that natural fitness and improvement in her. She’s Saturday class everyday of the week, maybe even a little more, but for that to be true - she has to make a statement here by beating a really good line-up. 9. ZELDA (70) won’t know herself with the 51kgs after the claim for Deanne Panya. The Les Bridge trained mare always seems to be the one finishing fastest in her races so her prospects are very much tempo related. Should she be able to keep in touch with them at the home turn and get a clear crack, she will almost certainly be in the finish. 8. LYCIA (73) is an in-form mare from the Godolphin stable and has barely put a hoof wrong in her 12 starts with 2-6-1. Fourth run in, on trial at the 1500m (which should suit her), she is well among them so to is 6. HARLEM LADY (74).

RACE 5

DEANNE Panya rode 7. SERVE AND VOLLEY (66) brilliantly to score fist-up in a WF midweeker at the juicy odds of $10 (in from $15) off the back of some smart lead-up work in two trials at home there under the watchful eye of G1 trainer Steve Englebrecht. It was no fluke - the daughter of Swiss Ace is a talented sort, don’t forget she was 3rd to Steve’s daughter Gabby’s Cannyescent on debut at Goulburn and then 2nd to subsequent stakeswiner Metallic Crown at the Farm after that. So that was her only second up run to date, a 2nd to a good horse, so we have to mark her up on that score with the natural improvement. 3. INTERSTELLAR (67) is an interesting runner and not just because she shares her name with Geoff and Beryl White’s 1990 Canterbury Guineas winner and sire of their dual G1 winner and Melbourne Cup placegetter Yippyio. This 3YO filly bred in NZ is having her first Australia start for the Hawkes Team and certainly left a good impression when she won a Rosehill 900m heat on Jul. 19. Hard to line-up her NZ form but is lightly-raced and obviously in good nick. 1. LABDIEN (73) has the biggest benchmark in the race much of which can be attributed to the fact that she is a G3 placegetter at the Valley last prep. She was a cruisy 4th in that Interstellar hat and she is 3s 1-0-1 first-up. Major player.

RACE 6

3. WE’RE SURE (72) is back in Sydney town after a quick visit down south where he ran a credible 1.8-lens 5th of 11 in the Listed VRC Creswick at Flemington over the 1200m. That was some run given that on Jun 18 he won a Bm70 at Beaumont. That said, he has mixed and matched it with some handy horses along the way most notably that brilliant win here on Derby day last year. Third-up, he is in the right race albeit a difficult one. 1. PIONEERING (82) is aiming for a hat-trick of wins having won here at Rosehill beating the perennially unlucky Thud prior to her brave win under the 61kgs last Saturday at Canterbury. The mare retains the services of Hugh Bowman but drops in weight to 58.5kgs. Sure, she’s up in class on paper but she did win a Bm84 when she beat Thud. My only little query with the mare is the 1400m but barrier 1 makes it easier. 2. SO WILLIE (73) is the other Waller runner in the race being the stablemate to Pioneering. So Willie certainly doesn’t win out of turn being just 2 from 16 but much of that can be attributed to his pattern of getting way, way back and running on needing luck all the time. When all is said and done some of those loses could have just as easily been wins; he has been beaten 0.8-lens and 0.3-lens at his last two over the 1500m. back to 1400m but if he gets a generous tempo it won’t make a scrap of difference.

RACE 7

I HAVE been on 10. FINAL DECISION (76) every start this prep and while I haven’t yet collected, I haven’t been disappointed by him at all. I was broke and shattered after his last run where he was a nose 2nd, God that hurt, in a t/d performance that deserved better. This is definitely and obviously much harder but it’s doable and we are going to get the odds that reflect that it is a more difficult assignment for the Jason Coyle trained galloper. Each-way all day with him. A very, very good judge once told me that one of his Golden Rules of tipping and gambling was to back a horse coming out of a 3200m race first-up. Enter 5. SACRED MASTER (96) whom I tag as far and away the most interesting runner all day. The Kiwi bred galloper is first-up for new trainer (Waller!) and comes off a 1-lens 3rd in the Auckland Cup when the $3.20 fav. He is unbelievably lightly-raced for a 3200m horse with 13s 6-1-2 and he’s no one pacer having won at a mile. He trialled at HQ on Jul. 15 and ran a cruisy 4th to Starspangledbanner’s three parts sister Aaralyn who won first-up at Wyong during the week. I am terrified of the his horse, so much so that I wish Final Decision wasn’t here because I’d have him (Sacred Master) on top and well on top too. Nothing else interest me so for 3rd I say last start Winter Stakes winner 3. OXFORD POET (96) who was gifted the race to be honest.

RACE 8

GREGORY McFarlane has 8. SUPER TYCOON (75) flying right now, flying! I was cursing the horse when he lobbed late to beat Final Decision at Rosehill two weeks ago as alluded to in the previous review. That was the 4YO’s second win in as many starts and even though he needs heaps of luck and a guaranteed speed on upfront, you can’t knock winning form. The son of Capitalist’s sire Written Tycoon is 1 for 1 at the track and 5s 3w at the trip so he’s obviously hard to beat again despite going into a Bm85 after consecutive wins in Bm78’s. 7. NITE ROCKER (77) hasn’t won for a long, long time but he very nearly beat Hetty Heights and co in a Bm78 over the t/d four runs back. His most recent outing was a fighting 1.7-lens 5th to Isorich and Butterboom here over 1200m after coming back to 1200m from a 1350m 5th beaten 2-lens over this t/d. Go well at odds - worth including in the multiples of backing each-way if your loaded. 4. MCCREERY (81) may or may not back-up after being swamped by King’s Officer at Canterbury last Saturday. If he’s here then he’s a huge chance because for what it is worth, I think he is a Group horse on the right day in the right race at the right time.

RACE 9

THE second most interesting runner all day (runner-up to Sacred Master) is 13. I’M A JET (61) from the Peter Roach stable at Coffs Harbour. The son of Za-Im is 6s 4-1-0 and those wins have been at Coffs (X2) and Grafton (X2). I went back and watched them and thought straight away, he’s a metro horse. He has always won by a margin, he’s an on pacer with a turn of foot and a bit of ticker and he’s gone Mdn, C1, C2 and C3 so he can handle ‘steps’. This is not a step though, it’s a leap but I think he might be one of the occasional good bush horses that are habitual winners and when placed well, they just keep on winning. 4. COOLCRAFT (69) is a fascinating runner. He is ex-Bart Cummings (who bred him) to Gwenda Markwell but stays in the same ownership with Matthew Sandblom - a great man for the industry who is now a stud proprietor (stands Bull Point). This horse is 5s 1-2-1 and the big, big, big lead is that Hugh Bowman is riding him having ridden his at 3 of his starts when the maestro had him. This horse could be backed off the map and towel them up; monitor the market, they could jump out of trees to back him. 5. I CAN ROCK (69) was one of my specials at the Grafton carnival and trust me when I say, he should have made me look smarter than I am in the Kirby - boy, he was something licked. Gets back, runs home Let me rephrase that - gets back, storms home!