By Brad Gray
Race 1 – 12.30PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
1. Rush Hour had no excuses last start at Rosehill having settled outside the leader in a slow-run 1200m Midway Handicap. However, he was only beaten three lengths by Shohisha, a filly with upside, and he did jump at $5. The four-year-old raced in three previous Midways for two placings and a fifth. All of those were over 1200m, but four weeks between runs back to 1000m could be suitable for the Nathan Doyle-trained sprinter. In well after the claim and he should run to his level. Thereabouts at an each-way price. 11. Catch The Glory has the most upside of any runner here being just four starts into her career, but that’s been factored into her early price. The Jason Coyle-trained filly came with a rush to win at Warwick Farm first up. It was a midweek race and at $16. However, Saturday’s assignment doesn’t look a great deal harder.
How to play it: Rush Hour each way.
After a spring of what could have been, Joliestar (right) returns in the Expressway Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Race 2 – 1.05PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1800 METRES)
2. Adolphus charged through the line at the end of 1500m at Rosehill last start. The strength of his last 200m points to him relishing 1800m now fourth up. Another couple of strides and he wins. That sets up the four-year-old perfectly for Saturday’s assignment. This looks a target race for trainer Matt Dale, who has maintained all the way through that this Rubick gelding won’t be at his best until he gets out beyond the mile. He has drawn a touch wide, but there are six emergencies so he’ll come in a few after scratchings and he will go forward with Tim Clark staying aboard after riding him two weeks ago. There wasn’t a lot between the closing splits of 3. Tapa Kick and Adolphus last start with Adolphus just edging it late. The Scissor Kick gelding was only second up there. Maps well and should improve again off that. 14. Ghost Walker drifted back to an impossible position over the mile at the Sapphire Coast first up, yet ate into the margin late to be beaten three lengths.
How to play it: Adolphus to win.
Race 3 – 1.40PM COOLMORE PIERRO PLATE (1100 METRES)
2. Pallaton put his name in the Golden Slipper picture on debut with an authoritative win at Randwick in December. The Woottoon Bassett colt did everything right: he used the draw to stalk the speed, angled into the clear and charged through the line. The runner up, Chergui, has since failed, but Quietly Arrogant won his subsequent start, while The Magic Man went on to run seconds to Rivellino and Wodeton. Astute juvenile trainer Michael Freedman gave the colt a let up with eight weeks between runs. He draws perfectly again and has trialled well since in what looked a hot Rosehill heat. It was run in the fastest time of the morning, and he lengthened nicely when asked. 3. Shaggy brings an intriguing profile for Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe, who has already declared that the Sandbar gelding is the best horse he has trained. He has put gaps on his rivals and brings an SP profile, having jumped $1.14 and $1.65. 10. Skyhook gives away race experience and has trialled once, but like what he did at Rosehill in that heat.
How to play it: Pallaton to win.
Race 4 – 2.15PM WELLINGTON RACING CLUB TROPHY (1600 METRES)
1. Yorkshire keeps raising his rating, justifying the confident market support each time he steps out. The four-year-old has been expertly placed throughout his career by co-trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, and again they find a suitable race for the Snitzel gelding. He creeps out to the mile for the first time, but strikes it fourth up and with a 61kg impost, having jumped seven benchmark points after his win last start, but that is offset by the 3kg claim of Anna Roper. He camped in behind a truly run 1500m race at Rosehill last start before asserting his dominance late. Yorkshire can slide forward to offset the draw, and he’ll handle whatever track rating Randwick throws up. Likeable profile. 10. Medatsu clocked the fastest closing splits of the meeting when winning first up last preparation. It was a sprint home, but he backed that up with an equally impressive second-up win. The four-year-old won three of his six starts in that campaign. Will get back, but look for him and Nash Rawiller late.
How to play it: Yorkshire to win.
Race 5 – 2.50PM ASAHI SUPER DRY EXPRESSWAY STAKES (1200 METRES)
It was a spring of what could have been for 5. Joliestar. The Zoustar mare would be returning an Everest winner had the breaks fallen her way in the rich sprint feature before the barrier beat her in the Golden Eagle. She kicked off her campaign with an annihilation of her rivals in the Show County Stakes, which announced her as a sprinting star of the future. A repeat of that and it’s game over in Saturday’s Expressway Stakes. She has trialled just as well ahead of her autumn return. Although Joliestar maps to be last, it’s only a field of six. There’s a distinct lack of speed in the race with no obvious leader, yet a sprint home also plays to her strengths given the devastating turn of foot she possesses. The only possible knock is the unknown of a potential wet track. A wet track would be the leveller for 2. Magic Time. The five-year-old mare has had a jumpout and a trial ahead of her return and trainer Grahame Begg is bullish about how well she has come back.
How to play it: Joliestar to win.
Race 6 – 3.25PM ROBRICK LODGE TRISCAY STAKES (1200 METRES)
Don’t love the inside draw for 2. Commemorative, given that she is a mare that prefers galloping room given her size. We’ll leave that up to Adam Hyeronimus to navigate. In her favour is that she should be able to get a cart into the race from likely leader 7. Bonita Queen. If she breaks the field up at any point, there should be the chance to angle away from the inside. Was beaten by the race shape first up last campaign when a $2.50 favourite, splitting Kimochi and Mumbai Muse; two mares that went right on with it thereafter. Strong SP profile and she’s explosive fresh. Bonita Queen came through her 1200m test last start with more than a pass mark. The speedster led at a good clip yet was beaten less than a length and wasn’t giving it away on the line. She drops 8.5kg from that run in a BM78. The trade-off is this is a harder grade, but she has a fitness edge on her rivals and looks to own the race from in front. Catch me if you can.
How to play it: Commemorative to win.
Race 7 – 4PM TAB LIGHT FINGERS STAKES (1200 METRES)
It took until the Flight Stakes, but 3. Lady Shenandoah produced the best three-year-old filly performance of the season. It was worth the wait. She was brilliant when putting three lengths on her rivals. That was after having beaten Mayfair first up in the Ming Dynasty despite still being a maiden. The daughter of Snitzel has been one of the standout trailers of recent weeks. She bounced out to settle outside the leader in the most recent of those before holding off Lightning Stakes favourite Switzerland. The best fillies dominate their own age and sex regardless of the distance and suspect Lady Shenandoah fits that category. 1. Lady Of Camelot failed to muster early at the Gold Coast last start, which proved costly when second to Private Harry in the Sunlight slot race. Freshened since then. The blinkers go on for the first time. Wasn’t beaten far in an Everest the last time she raced at this track over this trip. Serious form lines. 9. Lilac has the run under her belt and beat home 8. Declichy Boulevard in their two clashes during spring.
How to play it: Lady Shenandoah to win.
Race 8 – 4.35PM PETALUMA APOLLO STAKES (1400 METRES)
Despite is being a starting point for the autumn stars, this race hasn’t thrown up too many upsets over the years. 6. Fangirl won it 12 months ago as an even-money favourite and Anamoe, at $1.60, the year prior. Winx won it three times at prohibitive odds. Enter 5. Via Sistina, the new star of Australian racing, having won the Cox Plate by eight lengths. The seven-year-old import won the Winx Stakes first up last preparation over the Randwick 1400m. Despite the 2000m being her best distance, she has the class and turn of foot to win over shorter trips. If Fangirl is going to beat her stablemate this campaign, you’d think it would have to be first up over 1400m. Respect that she jumped $2.40 compared to Via Sistina’s $11 in that Winx Stakes, and if you swap the runs, perhaps you swap the result. Needs a dry track. 1. Ceolwulf might have something to say about Via Sistina being the best horse in the land. He is a different horse to the one we’ve assessed first up in the past, but mindful that he hasn’t performed fresh previously.
How to play it: Via Sistina to win.
Race 9 – 5.15PM MACQUARIE ST SOCIAL HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
15. Cool Jakey is third emergency and has also accepted in the last, but if trainer Joe Pride elects to run here instead, be wary of this five-year-old’s chances. It was a hidden return first up. It was a slow-run 1200m where he settled out the back on a dry track. He ran home in the fourth fastest last 200m split of the meeting despite finishing seventh. The clincher is that Cool Jakey is three from three second up, and he gets the significant gear change of the blinkers going back on. The shades have gone on second up in his last two preparations. A wet track would be a bonus. Second up last campaign he lumped 62.5kg to win at Warwick Farm, fending off Kerguelen and Need Some Luck. 1. Disneck clocked the fastest splits of the meeting when dashing home at Rosehill last start. He couldn’t have done much more given the shape of the race. He’ll be camped out the back before rattling home. Had won three straight prior, all at Randwick.
How to play it: Cool Jakey each way.
Race 10 – 5.55PM CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
7. Perfumist went to another level when leading all the way at Rosehill last start. That’s now four straight wins for the Bjorn Baker-trained filly. She assumed control from the start and always travelled like the winner. That was on soft ground so if there is rain around ahead of Saturday, it shouldn’t stop her. It’s been a rapid rise for the three-year-old. The temptation must be there for the stable to run in something harder, but she sticks to BM78 company for now, which should see her too good again. 2. Cool Jakey had a lot against him first up. He ran home in the fourth fastest last 200m split of the meeting despite finishing seventh. He is three from three second up, and he gets the significant gear change of the blinkers going back on. A wet track would be a bonus. Second up last campaign he lumped 62.5kg to win at Warwick Farm, fending off Kerguelen and Need Some Luck. 5. Rapt closed off well from an impossible spot at the Sunshine Coast last start. Freshened since back to 1400m.
How to play it: Perfumist to win.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
