Rosehill Turf Talk: Key gear change for Mitch Cohen’s best bet on Saturday as Shayne O’Cass takes swing at $71 pop

Form experts Mitch Cohen and Shayne O’Cass debate all the key chances at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, including a recently-gelded Godolphin sprinter and a Kris Lees runner at a massive price.

Form experts Mitch Cohen and Shayne O’Cass debate all the key chances at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, including a recently-gelded Godolphin sprinter and a Kris Lees runner that will go around at a massive price.

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Shayno: Hello Mitchy. I can’t help myself; can never walk past an honour roll. Past Winter Stakes winners that stood out – San Domenico, Nebo Road, All Our Mob. You can go first Mitchy, who will join that list after Saturday?

Mitch: Word is you’re on the honour roll at a certain Thai restaurant in Haymarket, Shayno. As for the Winter Stakes, tipping it will be Welwal. He went enormous in that Civic Stakes behind Headley Grange and can go one better here. Wet track has to be a huge plus!

Headley Grange adds the Listed Civic Stakes to his impressive record, and it's a Randwick treble to Jason Collett! 🙌@PrideRacing@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/MWrcwudp8N

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025

• Darby tons up as the winners keep rolling

Shayno: I am pretty keen on Ruby Flyer. In fact I made him my best bet. I hope it stays nice and wet, heavy would do more without being a bog. He got some very good form at a mile, so 1400m fresh is right up the alley.

Mitch: Good to see a two-year-old race back on the program after a couple of weeks without, albeit there nearly all three now Shayno. I reckon we are going to see a very serious horse step out again – that’s Raging Force. Tipping he makes a statement and we see him making his presence felt in races like the Rosebud soon.

Shayno: This is a ‘before scratchings’ statement; but wow, what a line-up. I should have learned by now that race experience is gold in two-year-old racing, more so on a heavy track but I fancy one of Waller’s bluebloods to run well here, namely the Gerry Harvey-bred Portofino.

Mitch: Could we see a Kerry Parker quinella in the Midway? Close Encounter and Equilibrist look to be great chances and they’re both double figure odds.

A great battle at @kemblaraces in the first, with Equilibrist fighting back to win! 👏@kjparkerracing | @LeeMagorrianpic.twitter.com/MgSoBBTjwE

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 3, 2024

• Pride has eyes on weather for Winter Stakes top seed

Shayno: I feel like you should be writing this one Mitchy. but I have a Kembla quinella for this Midway too. Kerry Parker’s Equilibrist is so close to a win and so far as I see it, Noble Soldier’s ‘best’ beats them all.

Mitch: All Kembla content welcome here mate. If we are looking elsewhere, I am really keen on Tarpaulin first run back a gelding. This is a horse that finished a length off the winner in Group 2 company last prep and finds himself in a Benchmark 78 here. The wet track should be no worries for him.

Tarpaulin runs away with it! 💨@mcacajamez and @JamesCummings88 combine to win the Randwick opener 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QuneyWq7uN

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 27, 2024

• Sistina’s a special but still plenty of intrigue for horse of the year gongs

Shayno: Whatever happens I hope it is no better than a Soft 7 by the last so my longshot of the day, Valimi, wins.

Mitch: As soon as I saw that name in the form guide, I knew you’d be finding it. $71 for the punters. The value for me is Cormac T, race 7. Reckon he bounces back in a big way.

Originally published as Rosehill Turf Talk: Key gear change for Mitch Cohen’s best bet on Saturday as Shayne O’Cass takes swing at $71 pop