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Rosehill Gardens Saturday tips, inside mail: $14 chance set for ‘peak’ performance

He’s named after a mountain in the Himalayas that’s never been climbed … but don’t for a moment think Khumbila isn’t capable of conquering the Midway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Ray Thomas
5 min read
May 30, 2025 - 1:21PM
Punters - Hold All Tickets Ep 38 - $7 best bet

Khumbila, named after a mountain in the Himalayas that has never been climbed, is set for a “peak” performance of his own when he resumes in the Midway Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Gerald Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, said rising five-year-old Khumbila was coming up well for his winter preparation before revealing the origin of the horse’s name.

“Apparently Khumbila is a mountain close to Everest which has never been climbed, they say it is too hard,’’ Ryan said.

“This horse is by All Too Hard so that is where he got his name.’’

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Khumbila, the racehorse, has only had 12 starts but has shown glimpses of talent with two wins and five minor placings.

Ryan believes Khumbila might be better suited when kept to sprint distances after failing when pushed out to 1500m last spring.

“We might have stretched him too far last preparation chasing that Four Pillars race,’’ Ryan said.

“Then we brought him back to a shorter journey at Wyong and he ran terrific to finish third.

“But he got ‘crook’ and had a temperature after that run so we sent him for a spell.’’

Khumbila impressed in a recent Rosehill 900m barrier trial when a close third to stakes winners Robusto and Semillion.

“I thought he trialled nicely, he has returned in good order and is going really well,’’ Ryan enthused.

In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting, Khumbila is at generous odds of $14 for the Midway for which the Paul Murray-trained Harry’s Bar is the $4 favourite.

The Ryan and Alexiou stable has two runners for their home track meeting with Pajanti going second-up into the TAB Handicap (1200m).

Pajanti returned with a fast-finishing second to Memoria at Randwick last month and Ryan said it had been a deliberate tactic to give the mare four weeks between runs.

“We feel Pajanti is good fresh so we waited a month for this race,’’ Ryan said.

“Then she has three weeks into the Gai Waterhouse Classic. We are trying to get some black type with her as she is an expensive mare.’’

Pajanti is at $9.50 in latest betting behind the Joe Pride-trained Weeping Woman at $4.60.

At Eagle Farm, Ryan is hoping promising Just Party gets some luck in running after drawing right off the track for the Group 3 $300,000 Fred Best Classic (1400m).

Just Party, a son of unbeaten US Triple Crown winner Justify, resumed with a fast-finishing second to Media World in the Hawkesbury Guineas earlier this month.

They again clash in the Fred Best Classic with both rated at $8 behind the Chris Waller-trained Angel Capital at $3.10 favourite.

• EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday

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TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS, MARKET MOVERS: ROSEHILL GARDENS
Race 1: Zebra Finch $4.80-$4.60
Race 2: Boys Night Out $3.30-$2.80, Warrior For Peace $5-$3.50
Race 3: Harry’s Bar $4.20-$4, I Am Brave $6.50-$4.40, Lady Extreme $8.50-$4.60, Vegas Raider $12-$6
Race 4: Hopper $12-$7
Race 5: Ellipsis $11-$4.60, Massira $19-$10
Race 6: Pure Alpha $7.50-$5.50, Little Cointreau $7.50-$6, Scalextrics $18-$9.50
Race 7: Kerguelen $3.30-$3.10, Unstopabull $11-$6, Spanish Fox $26-$10, Smashing Time $26-$11
Race 8: Glory Daze $11-$4.60, Major Beel $8-$6, Private Legacy $8-$6.50, Touristic $11-$7.50, Shahzad $26-$12
Race 9: Misterkipchoge $8-$5 including a $1000 each way at $7/$2.30, Cormac T $8-$6.50, Anderson Bridge $15-$8, Half Yours $11-$8.50 with a bet of $2000 at $9, Good Prize $19-$10
Race 10: Weeping Woman $8-$4.60

• Ray & Duff’s Rosehill Saturday tips: $3 best bet

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EARLY QUADDIE TIPS
Race 3: 7,8,9,14
Race 4: 2,6,12,13
Race 5: 1,4,5,13
Race 6: 3,4,5

QUADDIE TIPS
Race 7: 2,10,16
Race 8: 1,5,8,9
Race 9: 2,4,7,8
Race 10: 7,9,10,17

• Shayne O’Cass’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday

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PRICE CHECK

The Lord Mayor’s Cup (race 8) is an open race with plenty of market moves. GLORY DAZE (5) has been the bigger firmer from $11 to $4.60 while rivals MAJOR BEEL (1) has tightened from $8 to $6 and PRIVATE LEGACY (9) from $8 to $6.50. TOURISTIC (8) ($11-$7.50) and SHAHZAD (13) ($26-$12) are other big firmers.

• Rosehill Turf Talk: Ray Thomas’s $41 tip in key Saturday feature

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SECTIONAL STARS

Race 3 No.14 I AM BRAVE was very impressive on debut at Scone during the two-day Cup carnival, winning her maiden over 1000m in a swift 57.07s despite the soft track conditions. She ran her final 600m in 33.85s as she raced clear of her rivals.

Race 7 No.9 UNSTOPABULL turned for home with his 14 rivals in front of him but he switched back towards the inside and drove through the field, finishing fast for fifth to Zealously. He would have run his last 600m in sub-34s, one of the fastest closing sectionals of the day.

• Hickman’s mare can leave lasting Legacy in Lord Mayor’s Cup

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TRIAL POINTERS

Race 3 No.5 KHUMBILA is resuming after a five-month break but he trialled very well at Rosehill on May 9 when third to stakes winners Robusto and Semillion. Khumbila, who was fresh and keen in the trial, raced three wide without cover throughout the 900m heat and was still closing off nicely to finish within a length of the winner.

Race 7 No.3 FULLY LIT hasn’t raced since the Golden Slipper last year when he ran 10th to Lady Of Camelot. Fully Lit showed plenty of ability last season winning the Inglis Millennium and also finishing a close second in the Black Opal. He’s had two barrier trials to prepare for his comeback, finishing third after racing wide to I Am Brave at Randwick on April 24 then racing on speed and holding his ground when third to Ellipsis at Warwick Farm two weeks ago.

• Gibbons’ injury silver lining: ‘It was a break I didn’t know I wanted but needed’

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BEST BET

Race 7 No.10 KERGUELEN is a promising Godolphin sprinter resuming after six months. He has not missed a top two finish in five starts, winning twice, including his runaway win on debut at Kembla nearly a year ago when he put 10 lengths on his chasing rivals in heavy going. He also won at Warwick Farm in heavy going that same preparation. Trainer James Cummings has given Kerguelen two very easy trials to prepare for his comeback, the most recent when he was kept under a tight hold before finishing a close sixth to Angel Capital on the Polytrack at Warwick Farm. He handles wet tracks and sprints well fresh.

• Schiller to be sidelined for six weeks with fracture

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VALUE

Race 4 No.12 LIKE LUKEY resumed in the Scone Country Cup and came from near last on the turn with a strong run through near the inside to finish second, beaten less than a length by all-the-way upset winner Who Ever Thought. Like Lukey’s comeback effort at 1400m was eye-catching, going out to 1500m suits, she’s drawn well and should settle closer to the lead, and she won second-up by a big margin when last in work. Like Lukey is very genuine and terrific each way value around $12.

• What is Plan B? Why the Rosehill sale decision is a ‘missed opportunity’

Originally published as Rosehill Gardens Saturday tips, inside mail: $14 chance set for ‘peak’ performance

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