Race-by-race preview and tips for Rosehill on Saturday

Race 1 – 12.35PM SCHWEPPES HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

Chris Waller’s filly 11. Jaipur Maison made a good first impression at Newcastle on debut in the Max Lees Classic. She was fast home in a quick running of the 900m provincial feature. The daughter of Zousain, and full sister to group 3-winning stablemate Amelita, got a long way back from the barrier before clocking the quickest closing splits. She lines up as one of the few runners here with race experience. That counts for plenty as two-year-olds. Jason Collett stays aboard, and she draws to settle closer, getting out to 1100m. There was money for her on debut. Expect that to be the case again on Saturday despite already being the early favourite. 3. Euripedes makes his debut for Bjorn Baker and Godolphin on the back of two encouraging trials where he did everything right. Draws well. His latest trial win wasn’t in particularly fast time, but there was a lot to like about the strength of his last 200m. His full brother Rasp ran third in a Fernhill behind Broadsiding over a mile. 2. Dr Hook has had just the one trial for Team Hawkes. He wasn’t the best into stride but ripped home late. Needs to get start right from barrier two.
How to play it: Jaipur Maison to win.

Race 2 – 1.10PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (2000 METRES)

This looks a more open Midway than the early price of the favourite suggests. 2. Claim The Crown appeals at double-figure odds. If there are any chinks in his rivals’ armour at the end of 2000m, the seven-year-old will find them coming back from 2400m. The John Sargent-trained gelding has been competitive in this company in the past and looks to get his chance to break through. Forget his only recent failure, at Newcastle, as he was posted three deep. He’s hard fit and rolls forward to make his own luck. Should be thereabouts. 14. Inspired Legend raced beyond a mile for first time Canterbury last start. He looked the winner, only to peak on his run late and be beaten in a photo finish. That will toughen him up for 2000m. Has only had five starts, so has more upside than anything else here. 9. Strawberry Impact is set to jump favourite again, just as he was last start when third in Midway company. He is on trial at 2000m. He can win but looks too well found. It was 13. Djapana and 4. Perfect Justice that beat him home at Newcastle, and that pair line up again here.
How to play it: Claim The Crown each way.

Race 3 – 1.45PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

2. Satin Stiletto was rock solid in two Highway runs last campaign before being spelled. Can find excuses for her in both. She covered ground over 1100m then the 1200m may have just stretched her after she led. The four-year-old has not had any official trials, but that’s not unusual for the Matt Dale stable. She’d have had a jump-out or two at home instead. Dale thought enough of her to run her in listed company at Scone where she was beaten less than a length in the Denise’s Joy in a bunch finish. 15. Shenandoah River is putting it all together now with two wins on the bounce. The three-year-old filly has an abundance of speed, recording dominant wins at Scone. The challenge for her on Saturday is not only doing it away from home, but also stretching to 1100m, and in better company. 6. Lady Olenna might be the best horse here in the long term, but where does she get to from the barrier? Has had three trials, winning the past two in good style. 3. Miss Emma is mixing her distances, but respect the depth of the races she is coming through.
How to play it: Satin Stiletto to win.

Race 4 – 2.20PM VALE JOHN JEFFS HANDICAP (1800 METRES)

2. Luskaire is chasing five straight wins. That’s testament to the form and fighting qualities of this five-year-old, but also to the placement of the Archibald stable. Rob and Annabel have been happy to tiptoe through the grades. The gelding was a winner at this track over this trip three weeks ago, with Bestower and Brave Call franking the form line at Newcastle on Saturday. He has drawn inside and races on the speed. Two big ticks for the Rosehill 1800m. There doesn’t look to be a lot of pressure on paper, which should mean Luskaire looks the winner at some point. All of these will be looking over their shoulders late for 1. Meridiana. There is no denying that she’s the runner likely to go on to bigger and better things. However, in the context of her price, this doesn’t look straightforward. She draws to settle in the second half of the field, and on a firm track, she might be forced to loop the field. Also goes from a senior jockey to an apprentice. Perhaps she’s too good regardless, but she looks short enough in early betting. 7. Agita is hit-and-miss, but he too is a last-start track and trip winner. More depth here, but he is over the odds.
How to play it: Luskaire each way.

Race 5 – 2.55PM STOWE AUSTRALIA HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

We’re still discovering just how good 3. Lyles is. The Matt Smith-trained sprinter has returned with a bang. He beat Crepe Myrtle at Warwick Farm first up, and she’s won twice since. The four-year-old, with just seven starts to his name, then made light work of his seven rivals at Eagle Farm. It’s all 1000m form, but there is more to the son of Exceed And Excel than that; he’s proven out to 1200m. Just keep an eye on dual acceptors Memoria and Bremel. They’ll inject more speed into the race if they are here. The short price about Lyles looks justified, though. Jockey Andrew Adkins produced a couple of masterclasses on 1. King’s Secret last campaign. He’ll need to weave some further magic on Saturday as the map looks horrible for this Joe Pride-trained sprinter. King’s Secret won four from six last preparation. He’s had three trials and looked good in each of those hitouts. 7. Snack Bar is not exactly the punter’s pal, but a change of scenery might produce a change in attitude. He’s now with Bjorn Baker and was made to win a recent Hawkesbury trial – just to remind him what that feels like.
How to play it: Lyles to win.

Race 6 – 3.30PM TAB COUNTRY CLASSIC (2000 METRES)

3. Tavros is flying this time back and is coming through better races. If there are any knocks it’s that the five-year-old is unknown over 2000m and draws wide. An 1800m Highway is the farthest he has run over. The way he is attacking the line at the end of the mile recently suggests it’ll be no issue, though. Last start he worked home strongly behind Osipenko in the Little Dance as a $5 chance. That reads exceptionally well for this. Before that, he was on the country cups circuit, winning a Moree Cup before placing at Dubbo and Coonamble. Nothing went right at Canterbury last start for 7. Blacklist when a beaten favourite. Forget the margin. A new pick-up for Mack Graffith at Mudgee, the five-year-old has a sense of timing. Tim Clark jumps aboard. 11. Southern Dancer looked to get her chance at Gunnedah last start when Dynamic One proved too strong, but that will top her off perfectly for 2000m now fifth up. She’s in the astute hands of Gary Colvin and beat Poisen Point the start prior, which ties in here.
How to play it: Tavros to win.

Race 7 – 4.05PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS STARLIGHT STAKES (1100 METRES)

8. Flying For Fun drops back from group 1 company when connections had a throw at the stumps in the VRC Sprint down the Flemington straight. The four-year-old mare was flattened by the eventual winner, Giga Kick, yet she boxed on well in that company to be beaten four lengths. Going back to her second-up run, she took late ground off 5. Zealously at Warwick Farm. The winner broke the track record. With plenty of speed on paper, a kind draw and 53kg on her back, she gets her chance to turn the tables. 1. Front Page was harassed throughout in the Kosciuszko. He didn’t get a moment’s peace yet still briefly looked the winner before being run down late. The last time he raced over the Rosehill 1100m he ran second in the group 1 Galaxy. Fresh is best for the evergreen nine-year-old, so the six weeks between runs suits. He draws to find the front, but how much pressure he’s forced to absorb will decide his fate. One of those speed horses will be the favourite Zealously. He showed speed in the Caulfield Sprint six weeks ago and was beaten less than a length by Ray Magnerio.
How to play it: Flying For Fun to win.

Race 8 – 4.45PM GITANI STONE FESTIVAL STAKES (1500 METRES)

4. Accredited has returned as well as ever. He has been narrowly beaten in two runs back, including last start in The Hunter behind tough nut stablemate Coal Crusher. Can only see the six-year-old racing well again as what you see is what you get with the All Too Hard gelding at the moment. It was the same at the back end of last campaign. He is very genuine, hard fit now third up and will be looking to add another cherry to the top of Joe Pride’s spring carnival. This doesn’t look to be a fast race on paper either, and Accredited can roll forward. 1. Robusto has a couple of lengths to turn around on Accredited from The Hunter, but was only first up. He noticeably peaked on his run after presenting like he’d be in the finish. He won the Winter Challenge as a $3 chance at this track and over this trip in July against a similar field, beating Accredited. Could be a sharp improver at odds. As could 10. Yorkshire, but the market is taking no early risks with him. He pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia in The Hunter after failing as a well-backed favourite.
How to play it: Accredited each way.

Race 9 – 5.20PM ATC CUP (2000 METRES)

5. Major Beel might be going better than the form guide suggests. He knocked up late over the mile first up in the Big Dance Wild Card before being beaten for speed early at Flemington. He never got into the race but stuck on OK through line. It wasn’t that long ago he was racing in the 7 Stakes, Epsom and King Charles. The six-year-old is racing like he needs 2000m. Third up last campaign he tackled this track and trip, and ran second to Touristic as a $6 chance. Appears enormous odds. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also saddle up the early favourite, 14. Shangri La Spring. He comes through the Golden Eagle where he was back and wide throughout as a $201 chance and ran accordingly. Has won a trial since. Out to 2000m now and draws inside. The knock is the price. 8. Imperialist won the Taree Cup in fast time and in dominant style, before proving no match for Wooton Verni in the Rosehill Gold Cup, but he kept trying to hold down second. Only has to hold his form to be in the finish, although the market is keeping him safe, too.
How to play it: Major Beel each way.

Race 10 – 5.55PM CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1400 METRES)

2. Frosty Girl lost her unbeaten tag at Rosehill three weeks ago, but through no fault of her own. She was a good thing beaten. It was a horror watch for punters that took the short quote. She’s back to right that wrong at the same track, over the same trip and in the same grade. She also comes back to her own sex. Nash Rawiller looks the right jockey for the job. There will be a nervous moment or two, given her pattern and where she has drawn, but should be ripping home over the top. Well placed to atone. 14. Silver Wedding ran home in deceptively quick time behind Weeping Woman last start, with the winner since saluting again. Silver Wedding had the race shape against and was an $8 chance. The market may be a touch too harsh on assessing her chances on Saturday. She’s racing like 1400m suits and is a talented, lightly raced mare. 4. Maid Of Moolah has won three straight this time back as she moves through grades. Her name rings true for punters that have followed her. She’ll roll forward again and looks to have those that finished behind her covered again, including 3. Rubi’s Serve.
How to play it: Frosty Girl to win; quinella 2 and 14.

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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au