Rosehill Gardens race-by-race betting preview & tips | 12/03/22

Race 1: Benchmark 72 Midway Handicap (1200m)

In what is by far the weakest race of the day, it is still one of the more difficult from a form analysis point of view. David Atkins and Chris Williams combine with five-year-old gelding Two Up, who looks well suited to 1200m on a Heavy 10 surface. The son of Dane Shadow has not won on a heavy track, but he has never been out of the minor money from three heavy track starts, plus he is a four-time soft track winner, so he will handle the conditions. Two Up comes off a good third behind Samoot at Canterbury on February 25 on a Heavy 9 over 1250m, so the 1kg less that he carries on Saturday and slightly bigger track should suit this gelding’s chances. It is a tough way to start, but we are happy to have something on this guy at the each-way odds.

• 8

  TWO UP

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 4

  DALAALAAT

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 10

  RUMPSHAKER

  Odds at Bet365

• 1

  INVINCIBLE KISS

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 2: Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m)

This is the last chance for the two-year-old fillies to secure themselves a start in next Saturday’s Golden Slipper, so there is plenty on the line. We have really liked what we have seen from She’s Extreme in her two career starts, running a luckless fourth on debut behind Conqueror and Saturday’s Reisling Stakes winner Seven Veils, before running a fast-finishing second to Fireburn in the Sweet Embrace Stakes on a Heavy 10. The Anthony Cummings-trained filly has had no luck with barriers, but she tends to get back in her runs anyway, so barrier 11 shouldn’t be too big of a concern. She can get her maiden out of the way and earn a Slipper berth with a good win in this.

• 2

  SHE’S EXTREME

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 1

  QUEEN OF THE BALL

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 10

  SWIFT SWEET

  Odds at Bet365

• 13

  SEIRYU

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 3:Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m)

Like the Magic Night, the Pago Pago Stakes gives colts and geldings one final chance to book their place in the Golden Slipper in seven days. We have been with Rise Of The Masses throughout his career and we don’t plan on jumping off him in this. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained colt has had three starts, winning his maiden on a Heavy 10, before placing in the Pierro Plate and in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes. The son of Russian Revolution makes his own luck on speed and has plenty left in the tank at the end of his races to keep grinding away. From barrier four, he will look to lead under Tim Clark once again and he should be hard to gun down. There will be plenty of eyes on Yearning’s full brother Magic, who flashed home late on debut behind Best Of Bordeaux.

• 2

  RISE OF THE MASSES

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 1

  SWEET RIDE

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 3

  MAGIC

  Odds at Bet365

• 13

  CUSTODIAN

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 4: Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m)

The Ajax Stakes is the fourth race of the day, and while it offers $110,000 to the winner of the race, it also gives the winner ballot exemption onto the Doncaster Mile, so we are surprised to see just seven horses in the field. Kiku was originally our on top selection in the Coolmore Classic later on in the day, but Chris Waller has scratched his four-year-old mare from the Group 1 event in preference for this. The daughter of Zoustar has elite wet track form which brings her right into this event, while the smaller field should be too her liking. With form around Snapdancer and Forbidden Love in her past two starts, we expect Kiku to be hard to hold out.

• 5

  KIKU

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 1

  ELLSBERG

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 2

  BRUTALITY

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  JUST FOLK

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 5: Group 3 McCarten Stakes (1100m)

We are looking forward to this race as a number of in-form horses are set to go around. Rule Of Law has to lose eventually, but with conditions to suit, we don’t think that day will be Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old has won his last five starts, with his three most recent coming at this track. The son of Snitzel relishes wet tracks, but this will be his first test on a heavy surface for this campaign which is the only query. He will make his own luck from barrier three under Tim Clark and be very hard to beat with just 55kg. Gravina is the clear danger after a dominant first-up win at Randwick, while if Shelby Sixtysix can produce what he did seven days ago when he ran past Nature Strip in the Challenge Stakes, he can be winning.

• 2

  RULE OF LAW

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 10

  GRAVINA

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 9

  SHELBY SIXTYSIX

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  PRIME STAR

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 6: Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m)

Some seriously good horses have won the Phar Lap Stakes, including Apache Cat, Winx and Verry Elleegant, while Chris Waller has won six of the past seven editions of the race. We think he will be adding his name to the honour roll again, as Fangirl looks to have a mortgage on this race. After winning the Light Finger Stakes first-up and then charging home into fifth in the Surround Stakes on February 25, Fangirl has been perfectly set up to win over 1500m third-up. The daughter of Sebring has been scratched from the Coolmore to run here, so that is a push in itself, while barrier seven gives her every chance under Tommy Berry. She is the class of this field and a deserving favourite with the online bookies.

• 11

  FANGIRL

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 12

  ROOTS

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 2

  MR MOZART

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  SILENT IMPACT

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 7: Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m)

Stayers get their chance in the first leg of the quaddie, with the running of the Group 3 Sky High Stakes over 2000m. A field of 10 horses has been assembled, with noted mudlark Stockman set to go around. The Joseph Pride-trained five-year-old failed to beat a runner home first-up in the Chipping Norton Stakes, but he wasn’t really entitled to anyway against the likes of Verry Elleegant and Think It Over. Now second-up and out to a suitable distance, Stockman can be reversing the result and finishing first past the post. He should get all of the favours from barrier five.

• 5

  STOCKMAN

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 1

  GREAT HOUSE

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 4

  SKY LAB

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  MOUNT POPA

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 8: Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m)

The sole Group 1 event on Saturday at Rosehill is the Coolmore Classic for Fillies and Mares over 1500m. View our preview of the race and find out how we are spending $100.

Click here for our free betting preview of the 2022 Coolmore Classic

Race 9: Benchmark 88 (1350m)

The penultimate race is a plain old Benchmark 88 which doesn’t get the blood pumping as much as a Group 1, so it is hard to go straight back into benchmark racing. It is a very difficult race to sort out, but Soami hit the line very well behind Gravina at Randwick a fortnight ago over 1200m on a Heavy 10, so we can only imagine that the rise to 1350m will suit the Matthew Dunn-trained gelding. He is a two time winner over 1300m in the past, so that box is ticked, while he has placed twice from three attempts on heavy tracks. In a race where we have very little confidence, this is where we are leaning.

• 10

  SAMOI

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 7

  KATALIN

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 9

  MA AND PA

  Odds at Bet365

• 4

  POETIC CHARMER

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 10: Benchmark 78 (1900m)

We finish the day with a Benchmark 78 over 1900m, and while that doesn’t sound too flash, we are hoping we can finish the day with a bang. It isn’t often that we see South Australian-trained horses run in Sydney, but Travis Doudle is having a crack with his five-year-old gelding, Not Usual Glorious. The son of Fiorente absolutely loves wet tracks, winning four from five on heavy tracks and another two races on soft tracks, Now third-up for the preparation and out to a distance that he is a winner at, Not Usual Glorious should be very well suited in this event. Brett Prebble is in Sydney which is unusual, especially considering it is Super Saturday in Melbourne. The $26 quote has us entertained.

• 4

  NOT USUAL GLORIOUS

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 12

  ZOUMON

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 1

  MR GEE

  Odds at Bet365

• 7

  PALE KING

  Odds at Palmerbet