Sydney: Comprehensive preview of every race at Rosehill

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill with Shayne O’Cass.

Rising star Impending. Picture: Simon Bullard. .

NOTE: RACES are assessed for a Heavy 8. All horses are considered starters unless notified by Thursday at 1 PM.

RACE 1

2. FIREBIRD FLYER (72) has something of a numerical Morse Code going’ 22221122’ this winter, some of those 2’s she could just have easily turned into 1s but that’s racing. The Chris Waller trained local was beaten a nose last start by her stablemate Dubaiinstyle who would be a probable favourite here so the form is definitely strong around her. She is 2s 1-1-0 on heavy and that 2nd was a bottomless Randwick two starts back where nothing made ground — note the winner was Birds of Tokyo who accepted here. Fit, in-form — you would think that whatever beats her will most likely win. Had the big weight but gets 3kgs off for James Innes. 1. NORTHERN JOURNEY (71) is another that has 3kgs off, this one courtesy of Deanne Panya. A 7YO gelding lining up for his 40th start tomorrow, Northern Journey won his 39th start at Hillside down south over 2400m so he’s fit and in form also. Goes forward and no one rates them better than Twitter’s #pumperpanya. 5. MY GUILIANO (66) beat stablemate Firebird Flyer three runs back but seems, on paper anyhow, to be better on soft than genuine heavy.

RACE 2

3. EXTENSIBLE (77) was given a 10 out of 10 ride by Kerrin McEvoy when she won here in a F & M Bm81 over the 1400m. She was very strong to the line and being out of a Sinndar mare, the extra 100m is not only a ‘no negative’ it is in fact a positive. She is 4s 1-2-1 on slow but is yet to see it really wet but I guess you can’t knock them until they are proven one way or another. She has a fantastic gate, so long as the inside isn’t off, you’d expect her to camp off them and they should fan enough on the wet for her to get the opening. 2. RHODIN DRIVE (75) is open to improvement on his lacklustre first-up run at Rosehill in a Bm78 over the 1350m. We know the longer trip will suit and he’s shown himself reasonably capable on soft — unknown in this going though. If not this time, then certainly the next one. 8. ANTONIO GIUSEPPE (68) was a late scratching at WF on Wednesday on a very, very heavy 10 track. It’s not that he can’t handle heavy but that was heavy in a big, big way. The ex-Kiwi galloper was given the ride of the race by Angland to win at Canterbury last start but credit to the horse, he put them away easily and quickly.

RACE 3

I AM big fan of 8. COCOEXCEL (66) having monitored her closely at the trials. The $600,000 yearling and daughter of Exceed And Excel was a moral at WF on debut — she only had to handle the heavy 10 — and it turned out that she did and she won. If you can handle a heavy 10 at the Farm, you can pretty much handle it anywhere. The fact that she is a leader/on-pacer is a huge help to her in these conditions and I have no doubt she is black-type so the midweek to Saturday isn’t such a leap. That said, this is a handy field — the 2. SWEAR (67) and 4. EVACUATION (64) are above average but I fancy two others above them beginning with 9. SEZANNE (66) who ran 2nd to Divine Prophet on debut in a Kembla ATC maiden way back when. The Waller trained filly has come back in great shape too evidenced by that powerful win at Canterbury in the 1250m heavy 8 maiden last start off a huge trial win. I love her at 1400m, she’ll almost certainly be able to race handier than last time which is almost a necessity. The other one I have ahead of Swear and Evacuation tomorrow is 10. SAVVAN (62) who was a well beaten 1-lens 2nd to Cocoexcel at the Farm at his first run. I say well beaten in that he had his chance. By Savabeel so the 1400m will suit him down to the ground.

RACE 4

12. BESIDE YOU (63) is a very exciting 3YO filly from the Barry Ratcliff camp at Coffs. She is unbeaten in 3 runs and 2 of them, most notably that Highway win 2 weeks back, have been amazing. Can she get back and give them a start and a beating on this track? Time will tell, but boy oh boy she has been impressive. Robert Price’s 6. LEAMI ASTRAY (62) looked like being anything early with those back to back wins at Moruya and Nowra to kick of her career. Was beaten (but placed) at her second prep but obviously a contender. Totally unknown in the conditions but goes forward which is a help. 13. AKASAKI (57), from the Artlee camp of Todd Willan is lightly-raced and showing talent — definitely fits the profile of a TAB Highway winner. Didn’t mind the heavy 10 last start either when it won. Gate 1 and K. McEvoy is a plus, plus.

RACE 5

10. ROSE OF MAN (71) is on the 7-day back-up after a terrific closing 4th in a very strong Bm85 over the 1000m at Randwick last Saturday behind class acts Southern Legend, Haptic and Felines. The daughter of Denman was a long way out of it at the turn but she finished powerfully to just miss out on third to Felines. Rose of Man is better on soft than heavy — like a lot of horses, so we don’t even know if she’ll run tomorrow. 2. ALUCINARI (77) could also be scratched, John O’Shea is a cautious type and this one doesn’t exactly scream Rough Habit in terms of his wet track prowess. She has a black type campaign ahead so like I say, she might not be here but if she is, she’s a huge chance having won the Denise’s Joy at her last start back on May 14. Dual acceptor 4. ALLEZ CHIVAL (76) is one horse that will definitely be there. She loves the slop, the 1100m is her go and she’s very fit — oh and she’s drawn one. Almost certainly leads (with company from Magnajoy) and you know these leaders are always hard to run down on such heavy tracks.

Beside You trainer Barry Ratcliff. Picture: Simon Bullard.

RACE 6

9. SNOOPY (77) was something licked first-up but in saying that we would have said the same thing about 2. HIS MAJESTY (96) had he not actually won the race. Snoopy has a heavy track win where His Majesty doesn’t but take note, His Majesty has never been on heavy before tomorrow so that might be a bit unfair to the grey. Snoopy will want to be in the first two, three or four tomorrow and so gate 3 is going to be a big advantage to him. His Majesty on the other hand hasn’t fared nearly as well out in 8 and while it’s not necessarily a deal breaker for him, it does mean he’ll have to run past Snoopy again. Lightning may not strike twice. So much so that I actually have 5. ENCOSTANATI (81) splitting the pair. We know he’s going to go forward big time and you put Deanne Panya on a leader on a heavy track and you add 2-lens to their form. 6. HANDFAST (81) and 4. SIR BACCHUS (82) are quality 4YO’s resuming from big 3YO campaigns but I wonder if they are up to where some of these others are fitness wise in these testing conditions.

RACE 7

I HAVE been saying since lunchtime on Jul. 29 that 10. IMPENDING (72) — who trialled that same morning — will win the Golden Rose and I stand by that, more than that in fact, I think he is a moral. He’ll struggle to win on Sep. 10 if he doesn’t win this because it’s basically a dress rehearsal minus Divine Prophet and possibly Omei Sword. I have made him best bet because I think he’s a superstar. Let’s get into the why’s and where fore’s though. The 1200m? No worries there, he’ll run 1400m/mile but 1200m fresh is sweet. Rosehill? Debut winner (huge) at the track. Wet? Well, if breeding counts for anything he could be even better on heavy. Why? Lonhro’s are mostly very good on it but looks at his dam, Mnemosyne’s pedigree. She has a double cross of Canny Lad and her 2nd dam is by Whiskey Road, sire of maybe the best wet tracker ever — Strawberry Road. Barrier 6 — perfect, Avdulla — perfect. 9. MEDITERRANEAN (73) is a nice horse too. The Snowden (s) colt was awesome on that heavy Canterbury track at the midweekers first-up then was probably more than a shade unlucky in the Rosebud on a leaders track. No worries on the slop, that Heavy 10 in the Rosebud was heavy 12 if we had the NZ rating! He’ll be rocketing late but I can’t see him giving Impending a start at the 150m and getting past him. 4. STAR TURN (86) has come back in tremendous order judging on the San Domenico win over Capitalist. He’s one that you now is getting better with every run. 1. ASTERN (88) trialled the house down the other day at WF; he was unbelievable in fact but no better than his Godolphin stablemate was in his two trials.

RACE 8

7. LOOPHOLE (93) isn’t quite as talented or well credentialed as multiple G1 winning sibling Preferment but if he wins this he’ll go past $500K in prizemoney which is no small feat. The Chris Waller trained, Tommy Berry mount, is a very fit stayer who has 8 races, 4 of them at the 2000m, bearing in mind that this is 1900m but it’ll feel like 2000m or maybe more. Loophole has loomed up a few times now in recent starts but for one reason or another has been unable to land the killer blow. Perhaps tomorrow will be the day. 6. SINGING (96) looked the winner in his Australian debut but was worried of it by 9. SONG AND LAUGHTER (84) in that Saturday Canterbury stand-alone over 1900m on the heavy 8. Obviously you’d expect some added fitness to the French-bred, Kris Lees trained import and rightly so. There is no doubting this one’s quality he was beaten a length by Protectionist in a G2 in Germany. 3. ALLERGIC (100) had no luck first-up but had only good luck next time when he won the Premier’s Cup Prelude. The main thing that swayed me is that he is 0s on heavy while Loophole is 5s 0-1-2 and Singing is 2s 0-1-0 on heavy. Then there’s the aforementioned Song And Laughter who is a noted muddie.

RACE 9

BEST Bet No. 2 here an 6. INVINZABEEL (74) with the gun, Avadulla, sure to have another huge day, ditto Chris Waller. This son of I Am Invincible has only won 2 from 20 but he has 9 placings and is 5s 0-1-2 fresh. He is also 1s 0-0-1 on heavy and 9s 1-2-2 on soft so I am saying he’s cool in the wet. Wears blinkers first time here so he won’t be a mile back hopefully and he looked amazingly good in his trial the other day — so very good! Just one thing on the gear — it’s a well-known fact that Zabeel’s grow a leg with blinkers on and this horse is out of a Zabeel mare — something to ponder perhaps. I was very keen on 12. DUBAWI DREAM (69) at the 100/1 first-up at Canterbury and he looked like he might figure at the 250m only to tire a shade and run 5th but less than 3-lens from the winner. He is only 6s 0-2-0 fresh but 5s 1-0-1 second-up. He is 2 for 2 on heavy and 3 of his 5 wins are at this trip. He’ll be huge odds again — I strongly suggest you find a few dollars to back him or at very least include him in all exotics. I am the biggest fan of 2. CHETWOOD (77) this side of Agnes Banks but I am going to go out on a limb and question him on the heavy. Sure he won a heavy 8 first-up but that was Canterbury and he didn’t exactly look like a horse all that comfortable on it. Still, his ability will take him a long way and he’s got stacks of, ability that is.