The three-year-olds take centre stage at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, with the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) and Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) sharing top billing on a bumper 10-part program. The rail moves out +5m the entire circuit, and although there are some scattered showers forecast in the lead-up, punters should anticipate the Good rating to hold true for race-day. All the action is scheduled to get underway at 11:50am AEST.
Race 1: BM72 Midway Handicap (1200m)
We kick things off with a wide-open BM72 Midway, where the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Lovero will be looking to bounce back after suffering a first-up defeat at the hands of Bonita Queen. The daughter of Astern chased gallantly on that occasion but was no match for the winner, settling for a spot in the minor money. Jason Collett should get every chance to slot into the one-one from barrier three this time around, and provided Lovero can give a kick at the top of the straight, she should prove tough to chase down.
Intervarsity appears to be one of the better bets on the program and brings some elite form back to Highway company. The four-year-old mare was thrown in the deep end last time out, challenging the likes of Terra Mater in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong on September 1. She led out and showed plenty of class to be beaten by less than a length, and although Zac Wadick may need to do some work getting across in the early stages from barrier 13, Intervarsity possesses the class to put this lot away in relatively stylish fashion.
Raf Attack appears ready to peak third-up into the campaign and represents good value at the $5.00 with horse racing bookmakers. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained gelding was sensational in an on-speed dominated edition of the Listed Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury on August 22, powering home to get within two lengths of Cepheus. The form has already been franked with Lion’s Roar claiming victory in the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) since, and with Raf Attack dropping back significantly in class, punters can expect a similar result.
First Light looks ready to win stepping out to his favoured journey after a bold display second-up behind his stable companion, Matusalem. The six-year-old gets a 3kg swing in the weights getting to the 2400m, and although he was beaten convincingly on August 31, the Dubawi gelding seemed to be doing his best work late. Tommy Berry takes the reins this time from barrier seven, and provided he can gain an economic run throughout, First Light appears a terrific each-way price to turn the tables.
The Chris Waller-trained Mare Of Mt Buller returns after a 98-day spell and appears one of the better each-way plays of the afternoon. The daughter of Dundeel was well-backed in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) towards the end of last preparation, and although she didn’t figure, she oozes class returning to BM78 company. She’s a two-time winner over 1500m, and with gate two allowing Tommy Berry to slot into the perfect stalking position, Mare Of Mt Buller has the quality to be figuring in the finish.
The fillies and mares step out in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m), and after a first-up demolition job, Joliestar deserves to be a short-priced favourite. She couldn’t have been more impressive in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick on August 24, stamping herself as a possible Everest (1200m) contender as she careered away to score by 2.9 lengths. Team Waller elects to keep her in mares company on Saturday, but with bigger fish to fry, punters can expect Joliestar to put this field away before gaining a slot for the $20 million feature.
A smart patch of three-year-olds step out in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m), with the John Thompson-trained Clear Proof warranting plenty of respect. The son of Justify has been crying out for a step-up in trip after two goes at 1100m, flashing through the line on both occasions to suggest 1400m would be ideal third-up into the preparation. Chad Schofield should be able to navigate to a position mid-field with cover from stall six, and provided Clear Proof gets clear air at a crucial stage, watch for this guy to be storming down the heart of the course.
The Chris Waller-trained Switzerland hasn’t been seen since a disappointing effort in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on March 23. The Coolmore colt seems to have put that all behind him, however, with two eye-catching barrier trials holding the son of Snitzel in good stead for this first-up assignment. Gate three should allow Jason Collett to take closer order throughout the journey, and provided Switzerland is back to the form that provided a hat-trick of wins last campaign, the $7.00 available with horse racing betting sites is simply too big to ignore.
How can you go past Celestial Legend in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m)? The Les Bridge-trained gelding was simply sensational last preparation, claiming the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in consecutive starts. The Dundeel gelding needs to lug top weight first-up, but with two tick-over trials to get him on song after a 161-day spell, Celestial Legend must be considered the one to beat.
Blanc De Blanc showed a much-needed return to form at Rosehill on August 31 and ran into second behind the highly touted Briasa. The daughter of I Am Invincible finished off best of the beaten brigade, and although she may want further than the 1100m second-up, the 5kg drop in weight stepping into BM88 company makes this a viable option for Michael Freedman. She may need luck getting off the rail from stall one, but provided the breaks fall her way, Blanc De Blanc will look a cracking bet in the Rosehill finale.