Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here.
ROSEHILL
Track: Good 4. Rail: +6m 1500m-WP, +5m remainder
RACE 1
Overview: Ekeler is from the 19th and last crop of the true ‘Global sire’ More Than Ready who sired two Golden Slippers. Point there is, he is as good as a sire of two-year-olds as we’ve seen this century. He is represented by Maher/Eustace-trained colt Ekeler whose dam, Gliding, won the Ethereal Stakes in 2011. Has been trialling well too. Congregation, the $2.25m Easter Yearling and brother to Estijaab and Remarque, got a great ride by Kerrin McEvoy on debut but the horse did his bit too. Dazzle Legend has a touch of quality about him.
Bet: Ekeler each-way
RACE 2
Overview: Maximum Vortex – the Ballina Bullet (too soon?) – is surely the most exciting horse north of Newcastle. He is certainly the most untapped. The son of Kuroshio polished off his maiden and Class 1 in consecutive starts; one by five and a half lengths and the other by two lengths so he’s got more to offer it seems. Barrier 16? Ouch. Proverbial has a fabulously compelling set of numbers at this trip including a track and trip Highway win. Our Boy Ollie was always going to show up in a Highway and here he might be; bad barrier and all.
Bet: Maximum Vortex to win
Poseidon Ruler, pictured winning at Newcastle, is backing up from his fifth in the Midway at Randwick last week. Picture: Bradley Photos
RACE 3
Overview: Poseidon Ruler was, IMHO, the horse to follow out of last Saturday’s Randwick meeting. He drew wide in the Midway and while he was always going to go back, he was last of 17 at the turn and had to weave a way through the traffic. That was over 1200m, this is 1400m. Nice. Royalzel is $51. If the old Royalzel turned up and this was a Heavy 10, he’d be $2.50 and win easily. He adds a lot of interest here; you have to at least give him that. Sweet Mercy is a last start track and distance winner.
Bet: Poseidon Ruler to win, Royalzel to place
RACE 4
Overview: African Daisy should be a nice litter winter earner for Dean Watt and the rest of his Dynamic Syndications owners. Not only is she a talented and very consistent mare, she has excellent wet track form. That said, Heavy 10s are not a prerequisite for the daughter of American Pharoah who was excellent first-up on a strong midweeker. That stuff I said about the winter goes for Cloudland as well. She loves the slop. Big run at home last start; she had 62kg on board and got very close to Nosey Parker who goes well.
Bet: African Daisy to win, quinella 6, 7
RACE 5
Overview: Grebeni put the writing on the wall for that May 17 win at Warwick Farm having run so well at Kembla first-up. So as it stands, he has gone 1300m, 1600m and now 1800m at home. Perfect in every way. Before we all start declaring him, he does have top-weight and a wide draw. Lyrical Gangster’s performance behind Grebeni at the midweeks wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. He is another one at home and crying out for 1800m. Ring Ahoy is consistent enough.
Bet: Grebeni to win, quinella 1, 9
RACE 6
Overview: Shameless Miss struck a Heavy 8 first-up here over 1800m and while she wasn’t awful, she didn’t do a lot hence why perhaps she was $101 in the Lord Mayors Cup three weeks later. Granted, the guide tells us she ran ninth but it doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Pesto has only won three from 30 but add in his placings and finishes on the podium 33 per cent of time. There wouldn’t be a fitter horse at the meeting than him. No one could have missed Al Aabir here the other day.
Bet: Shameless Miss each-way
RACE 7
Overview: Just for some context, I was pretty keen on Battleton first-up here at Rosehill two weeks ago. In hindsight, perhaps it was too big an ask to win from barrier 8 with 61.5kg but tell you what, he was close enough to the run of the race bearing in mind what happened at the start as well as the finish. Gracilistyla, the daughter of Catkins, has trialled a hundred times better than a last of 10 and an eighth of 10, She’s a dual acceptor who is sure to run well wherever she goes on the weekend. Mnemosyne’s grandson Contemporary is in great form.
Bet: Battleton each-way
Bold Mac can maintain his good record on his home track. Picture: Grant Guy
RACE 8
Overview: Bold Mac has raced at his home track four times for two wins, a second and a third. That third by the way, was first-up behind Coal Crusher and 13-days prior to his good run in the Scone Cup where he was crunched in the betting from $8.50 to $5.50. He just could not be better placed on the weekend. Rebel Rama finished a nose in front of Bold Mac in the Scone Cup. Keep in mind that she won the 2150m Tattersalls Mile and was second to Arapaho in the Grafton Cup. That gets her a seat at the table here surely.
Bet: Bold Mac each-way, Rebel Rama each-way
RACE 9
Overview: Deficit is one of those versatile Snitzels that isn’t limited to 1200m, 1400m or even a mile. In fact, the Gerald Ryan (aka Mr Snitzel) and Sterling Alexiou-trained gelding has won up to 1825m and beat half the field home in this year’s 2200m Magic Millions Trophy. Was $15 into $12 first-up here and ran accordingly. This should be too short for Kirkeby and he should need the run but 1500m from a good draw with 2kg off, he should run well now. Lekvarte and Robusto will be strong late.
Bet: Deficit to win, Kirkeby to place
RACE 10
Overview: Cythera had Craig Williams booked to ride in a race up in Brisbane on Saturday but punters have been given plenty of notice by Chris Waller that she is in fact running at Rosehill instead. Me? I was expecting her to go to Queensland given she drew 12 of 13 here and had a big weight. Still like her a lot though. Tsarina Sophia has drawn 13 of 13 but for a filly that has some tactical speed, she can finish off like a train when they chose or are forced to go back on her.
Bet: Cythera to win, Tsarina Sophia each-way