Ray and Shayno analyse all 10 races at Rosehill

R1: THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HCP (1400m)

Ray Thomas: Tutta La Vita can get favourite backers off to a winning start. She has been unlucky in both her starts and could easily have turned those second placings into wins. The Chris Waller-trained filly gets out to 1400m which should be ideal and she is ready to win. Mogwai ran well on debut behind Congregation and then was just beaten against older horses at Newcastle. Improving colt and the main danger. Flying Trapeze and Cap Ferrat were minor placegetters in a 1500m stakes race at Eagle Farm last start which is good for the Rosehill opener. With Duff on holidays, over to you Shayno.

Shayne O’Cass: Yep, on deck while Duff’s wintering in Europe, RT. Playing a straight bat in the first with Tutta La Vita is the one most likely here to make it to a higher level in time. Even now she has Congregation form which is stronger than what any of her rivals bring to the table. Hoping, and expecting, the 1400m seals the deal for the filly by The Autumn Sun. Stablemate Cap Ferrat comes home with a stakes placing from up Brisbane which commands respect. Of the others, Kembla colt Steel Blaze turned in a real eye-catcher behind Congregation and Tutta La Vita here at Rosehill first-up and 1400m suits him nicely.

R2: MIDWAY HANDICAP (1500m)

Thomas: TAB is betting $7 the field – it’s that open. I’ve landed on Miss Faberge at the odds. She has been hitting the line strongly with successive seconds over 1600m at the provincials and is very fit. Although she is coming back slightly in trip here, the capacity field of 20 will generate tempo and pressure and this mare will be finishing strongly as always. Oakfield Waratah has returned in good form, the underrated Dr Evil is very consistent in this grade, Deep Opinions and Sweet Mercy are hard to beat – I could go on, it’s that sort of race.

O’Cass: This is very tough but I noticed Ripped was kept safe around the $10 mark when he resumed in a 1400m Benchmark 72 at his home track at Warwick Farm late last month, coming from last at the 400m to be beaten a length and three-quarters. First time to Rosehill but what will suit more is 1500m. Burning Need has won two of four over this trip and like Ripped, you would imagine she can settle off speed and be strong late. General Soho was weaving through the pack late in that Ripped race at the midweeks and could be the value. Dr Evil sets himself some mighty tasks in his races but he will charging home late if he gets clear running.

R3: TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1200m)

Thomas: The clash between Unravel and Goomeri should be a beauty. Both are promising sprinters coming to Rosehill in winning form but the barrier draw was much kinder to Unravel who comes out of gate four. Unravel, winner of three of his four starts, won’t have to work hard to settle on speed in a controlling position and that gives him the advantage. Goomeri has been brilliant winning his only two starts but barrier 16 is the issue. He has plenty of tactical speed but how much energy will he need to use to negate the draw? Sussu is fitter and Acapella Sun is racing consistently.

O’Cass: I have been closely monitoring Goomeri in his brief but spectacular career, RT. I love a well-bred horse and this is surely one. Just for the record, his grandams are Skating on his dad’s side and Private Steer on his mum’s side. He is a big, bold strider – kind of deceptively quick too. Happy with the draw, wide as it is, you wouldn’t like to see him cluttered up. Unravel’s already bright prospects soared after he drew barrier four and Aaron Bullock is a huge plus. What a season he’s had! Alinghi’s grandson, Sir Ming, will need a new PB to win but he will arrive in peak condition. Couple down the bottom with claims are Crop Duster and Sweet Biscuit.

R4: RACING FOR GOOD HANDICAP (1800m)

Thomas: Grebeni is chasing a hat-trick of wins after unleashing impressive bursts of finishing speed to score comfortable wins at Warwick Farm and Rosehill. He’s flying this preparation and his acceleration gives him a tactical edge. Fuller hasn’t had a lot of luck in recent starts and he’s drawn off the track here but the step up to 1800m will suit. Annabel Neasham trains two emerging imports in Manbehindthemoney and Asgoodassobergets who both should run competitively but I’ve got to stay with Grebeni.

O’Cass: Goes without saying that Grebeni is in great form at the moment. He was borderline good thing in that race he won last start and Kerrin McEvoy slotted it straight between the sticks with a perfect ride. This is maybe a tad harder again if they all start but I don’t think they’ve caught up to him yet. Adjourn was comprehensive, winning at Gosford. It was a small field but he rounded them up and roared away. I like what the win would have done for his confidence and surely Rosehill suits his pattern far better again. Fuller has been somewhat unlucky not to have at least one of his three starts this time in. Hate the draw though. Fun Sunday deserves some reward for recent efforts.

R5: TAB HANDICAP (2000m)

Thomas: Miracle Spin ran a monstrous race to come from last on the turn with a barnstorming run down the centre of the track and just missed reeling in Naval College at Randwick. Miracle Spin meets that horse slightly better at the weights here and with any luck in running he will be in the finish. Fawkner Park is lightly raced but very promising as he has demonstrated in his two wins since joining the Neasham stable. Union Gap is better suited at 2000m and makes his own luck racing on speed. No knock on Naval College who is racing in top form.

O’Cass: How good is Fawkner Park, RT? They absolutely smashed him when he won at his Australian debut at Kembla – what a win too. Then he goes to Doomben and wins easily beating a subsequent winner, it’s all there to see. This is his acid test on the weekend but he’s untapped and clearly talented. Tony Be is a wealth hazard but taking the punt out of it and just judging him on effort, he hasn’t been at all bad. His problem, like a lot of horses, is he’s so one-dimensional. Miracle Spin is another one who needs the race run to suit but his strike rate is a lot better than most other backmarkers.

R6: BISLEY WORKWEAR HANDICAP (1100m)

Thomas: Narito is a rising five-year-old, has only had seven starts and always shown promise. He performs well fresh and in his recent barrier trial he was kept under a very tight hold. Ready to run well. Brudenell struck a rich vein of form over summer then was spelled after his fifth in the Inglis Sprint. He’s caught the eye in two recent trials and will be hard to beat. Scorch was disappointing second-up but is better than that and is over the odds. Fire And Ice was dominant at Wyong last start and is an each way chance.

O’Cass: Brudenell is a third generation Kris Lees-trained galloper. He trained the dam, Knit ‘N’ Purl and the grandam, Zingaling, and both were handy mares. As for Brudenell, he is a striking horse who knows how to win with four victories from his seven starts. He looks primed for a bold first-up bid off the back of a couple of really nice trials. I concede however that his task has been harder given the wide draw. Narito had a bit of a boom on him early on and rightly so. The Chris Waller-trained gelding resumes at home on the weekend and his only first-up runs before this one were his easy debut win and a closing second to Passeggiata. I can see a scenario RT where Vegas Raider ambushes them all late like he did in the Inglis Challenge on debut.

R7: WJ MCKELL CUP (2000m)

Thomas: Bois D’Argent was never on the track at Rosehill but still found a way to win the Lord Mayor’s Cup over this trip last start. He does go up in weight but he’s a tough stayer as evidenced by his last-start win and he’s the one to beat again. It’s hard to believe Benaud hasn’t won a race since his debut win in a Nowra maiden nearly two years ago but he is an ATC Australian Derby runner-up and has obvious ability. This race does set up well for him. Zoumon has been heavily backed this week and understandably so given he’s in on the limit, he’s effective at this distance and proven second-up in a preparation. Steely is racing well but has to prove he can run a strong 2000m.

O’Cass: The market says the $41 shot Irish Sequel will need at least one more run and maybe he’s better at 2400m. True enough, but I think he deserves a bit more respect than what the TAB are offering given he won the Brisbane Cup at the end of the last winter campaign. As for more recent times, he closed off pretty well first-up in the 1400m Octagonal and was getting warm late in his June 6 trial. Bold Mac was well down the order in the Scone Cup but not beaten far. He was better again in the Mach Schnell race here two weeks ago and gets what he needs and wants now – 2000m at his favourite track. Bois D’Argent showed plenty of ticker to win the Lord Mayors Cup here.

R8: FUJITSU AIRSTAGE HANDICAP (1300m)

Thomas: Ringarosa’s effort to defy the bias and storm home wide out to win at Warwick Farm was exceptional. She’s a mare racing in career-best form, she’s up to Saturday grade and is good value at double figure odds. Anagain was a beaten favourite when fourth in the Ringarosa race but she drops 4kg and is worth another chance. Vienna Princess was good first-up and will be improved. Mirra View won well last and will go close again.

O’Cass: Vienna Princess should have won the Reginald Allen but secured that invaluable black type win two starts later down in Melbourne. That being the case, as a stakes winner, I couldn’t believe she was $26 first-up and as it turned out she ran way above market expectation. First run at home but it’s home nonetheless and that has to be a plus. French-raced import Macsaret was $10 into $5.50 in fast time when markets went up on Wednesday. Obviously where there is smoke there’s fire, keen to see the raceday fluctuations now. Mirra View was the one that beat Vienna Princess at Randwick on May 27 so she has to go in on that score alone.

R9: FURPHY HANDICAP (1500m)

Thomas: Space Tracker did more than enough at his Australian debut, working hard to the line to finish the closest of thirds over 1400m here two weeks ago. He can only be improved by the run and has the benefit of Jett Stanley’s 3kg claim. Robusto led throughout to win at Rosehill last start and now he has struck form he should hold it. African Daisy is bursting to win a race and would have been top pick if she had drawn a better barrier. Camaguey wasn’t beaten far first-up and is the value runner.

O’Cass: I’ve always been a fan of Cross The Rubicon, RT. Her run in the Provincial-Midway Final was far and away the best and could have even challenged the clear winner Spangler for mine given where they were at every stage of the race. That brings me to a caveat with Brad Widdup’s mare – that is, how much of a head start will she be giving away? Nothing will be stronger late than her though. Space Tracker left a very favourable impression at his Australian debut when the money said he would run well. Logic suggests that now he has had a fair dinkum spin-around under local conditions that he can build on that. No more genuine horse in the field than Philipsburg.

R10: RANVET HANDICAP (1300m)

Thomas: Gracilistyla ran a blinder first-up, Shayno, finishing fourth behind Resonator at Rosehill. The grey was charging through near the inside when baulked for a run inside the final 100m. Drawn to get the right run and ready to win. Cosmic Minerva is a noted first-up performer and he’s looked very sharp in his two trials. Plundering is an emerging young sprinter building a good record. Excelladus is racing in top form, is drawn to get the run of the race and should be hard to beat again.

O’Cass: Super Effort has for all intents and purposes lived up to his name plenty of times in fact but certainly at his two runs this preparation where he has savaged the line (to steal a Duff phrase). Jay Ford is a crucial booking, hardly a surprising one, but my point is, he has a very good handle on the horse’s mostly pros and infrequent cons. Think with any pace on, they can get the job done on the weekend. Catkins’s son Gracilistyla was very unlucky here first-up. He was beaten a length and tail by Think About It at his last track/distance run. Nice. Soami often runs out of time and room to win but it wouldn’t shock to see him keep the Darby Bloodstock juggernaut rolling.