By Brad Gray
Race 1 – 12.30PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
2. Mogwai has held his form in three runs for Robert and Luke Price after being transferred from Godolphin. The son of Epaulette was a first-up winner at his home track Kembla Grange having led in a field of eight runners with 61kg on his back. He then wasn’t beaten far by Zondee in a BM78 before boxing on fairly when midfield behind Bunker Hut. Again, that was in BM78 company. He was back to 1350m there, which counted against him. This isn’t a deep Midway, so that last-start form reference still reads well despite being beaten 4.5 lengths. The wide barrier doesn’t help 7. Hell’s Itch, but the patience of the owners started to pay off last campaign with the lightly raced five-year-old winning two of his three starts. He resumed with an eye-catching sixth at Kembla Grange. The run was better than it reads on paper, finding 1200m too sharp. Gets out quickly to 1500m second up.
How to play it: Mogwai to win.
Makarena wins the Golden Pendant in September and she looks set for a big autumn campaign.Credit: Getty Images
Race 2 – 1.05PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
11. Exit Fee looks to have the right Highway form lines. The three-year-old was only beaten two lengths by Clear Thinking and Highway Strip two starts ago at Randwick before being narrowly beaten by Lisztomania two weeks ago. He found a four-wide running line in a compacting field and after presenting like the winner, he was nailed on the line. This isn’t any harder. The market has recognised that, but he only has to hold his form to be in the finish again. The draw can see him potentially settle a pair or two closer and Zac Lloyd stays aboard having been on at his past two starts. 6. Wal’s Angels was expected to win at the Sapphire Coast last start when sent around an odds-on favourite. Maybe he resented racing tight between runners. Not sure what to make of that run, but he was disappointing. Before that, he chased home Swift Charm when second in a Highway over 1400m. He jumped $5. Maps well and gets his chance to bounce back.
How to play it: Exit Fee to win.
Race 3 – 1.40PM ROSEHILL BOWLING CLUB HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
This looks an important race to get the speed map right. Banking on 7. Winston Hills settling much closer than his past two starts given the make up of this field. The five-year-old does have some early toe. He hasn’t been done any favours by wide gates in bigger fields recently. Creeps back out to 1300m, which looks ideal, and Jason Collett knows the son of Invader well having ridden him at his past four starts. It’s all about positional speed in this and can see Winston Hills one out one back with early intent to hold the back of 10. Lady Boss. Lady Boss kept chasing behind Bunker Hut three weeks ago. Her tactical speed looks an asset on Saturday. There was little between the closing splits of Lady Boss and 5. Step Aside last time out. That makes them hard to separate on Saturday, but Step Aside risks being buried away on the fence from barrier one in what could be a sprint home.
How to play it: Winston Hills to win.
Race 4 – 2.15PM RANVET HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
1. Bonita Queen looks tailor-made for the Rosehill 1100m. It will be the first time the speedy four-year-old races at the track. Trainer Bjorn Baker tested her in group 3 company last week at Randwick and despite running along in the early and middle stages, she only faded late to run fourth beaten less than two lengths. The daughter of I Am Invincible has been found out slightly at the end of 1200m at her past two starts. Love the set-up here back to 1100m, on the seven-day turnaround and back to BM78 company. She should own this race from in front without any other noted leaders. 12. Theblade raced too keen in one run before spelling last campaign. He is better than that. Respect that he jumped $2.70 in a race won by Private Harry. The three-year-old colt made a huge impression on debut at the midweeks, putting 5.5 lengths on his five rivals. Won a recent trial and gets in with just 52.5kg. The Hawkes stable has also accepted at Canterbury with the son of Toronado.
How to play it: Bonita Queen to win.
Race 5 – 2.50PM BISLEY WORKWEAR MILLIE FOX STAKES (1300 METRES)
1. Makarena should beat these. The Hawkes-trained mare is beautifully placed under the conditions of this group 2 against the mares. Her benchmark rating towers over most of her rivals. The four-year-old was brilliant during spring. She resumed with a brave fourth in the Sheraco over 1200m having to cart the field up to tearaway leader Belclare. Sunshine In Paris won the race with Joliestar in third. She then won the Golden Pendant out to 1400m, controlling the race from outside of the leader. She contested the Alan Brown and Invitation before battling on courageously to run fourth in the Golden Eagle despite being sent around a $61 chance. The 1300m looks a perfect kick-off point having won a recent trial. Follow her this autumn, starting on Saturday. 2. Hinged went to the paddock a last-start winner having mowed down her rivals in the Matriarch out to 2000m. She is more of a miler, middle-distance style mare now that she is a six-year-old, but she is no stranger to running well fresh.
How to play it: Makarena to win.
Race 6 – 3.25PM TAB SILVER SLIPPER STAKES (1100 METRES)
1. North England looks to roll across from the wide draw to take up the running. The son of Farnan trialled well at Hawkesbury, but it’s the manner in which he won his second trial that suggests the stable has him humming. He smashed the clock when winning that heat by a widening 3.5 lengths, running right through the line. It was by far the quickest 900m heat that morning. North England was a brave winner of the Golden Gift over this same track and trip before spelling after just going down in the Breeders’ Plate on debut. Note that the past five winners of this race, two trained by Waterhouse and Bott, have settled in the first two. The knock isn’t on the talent of 3. Wodeton, it’s the set-up. He draws 11 of 11 and can’t imagine there will be any desire to fire him out to settle on the speed, given it’s only a semi-final. That has to make him a betting risk given his price, regardless of what he did on debut.
How to play it: North England to win.
Race 7 – 4PM PARRAMATTA CUP (1900 METRES)
11. Our Anchorage is the percentage play. Whether he is the best stayer here is another argument, but he looks the best suited. Do concede that he looks short enough in early betting, but he tackles this group 3 with three runs under his belt. It’s just a stepping stone for a lot of his rivals that have bigger fish to fry in the autumn carnival. Our Anchorage looks to catch them on the hop. The six-year-old has gone to a new level this time back. Last start he produced the best run of his career. He now has to transition into better company, but he gets the perfect set-up and drops 6.5kg. 8. Redstone Well is not a noted fresh horse, but he has never resumed over 1900m. He raced his way back into form last campaign, winning fourth up out to 2400m. He led on that occasion. Looked sharp when winning a recent Warwick Farm trial. Market confidence would be significant.
How to play it: Our Anchorage to win.
Race 8 – 4.35PM KIA ORA HOBARTVILLE STAKES (1400 METRES)
1. Broadsiding’s spring didn’t play out like many thought after he won the Golden Rose first up, but it all starts again in autumn. He returns to the Rosehill 1400m and punters will be hoping for the same result. The margin was only narrow on that occasion, scrambling home to beat his stablemate Traffic Warden, but that doesn’t do the win justice. He picked up sharply from the 400m to sprint quickly late. The speed slackened in the middle stages making it hard for him to get into the race. He potentially faces that same obstacle on Saturday, but his class can see him overcome that. 8. Swiftfalcon might be the wildcard. He won the Dulcify in dominant fashion last campaign before he was set for the Spring Champion. Perhaps he was too brilliant to get a strong 2000m. He has a turn of foot to overcome any race shape. Has trialled well, too.
How to play it: Broadsiding to win.
Race 9 – 5.15PM ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
How the Rosehill track is playing towards the back end of the meeting will have a big role when it comes to the chances of 3. West Of Africa. He’s likely to settle last. The five-year-old is a backmarker, so the barrier doesn’t make a great deal of difference. What he does have though is a powerful finish. That was on display first up when chasing home smart duo Accredited and Yorkshire. The former won his subsequent start by four lengths, while the latter hasn’t been beaten in his subsequent three starts. West Of Africa pulled off a successful hit-and-run mission second up at the Gold Coast, sweeping home from the tail to run down Charm Stone. Has been back to the trials since to bridge the five weeks between runs. 6. Wategos did enough first up over 1200m at Rosehill in a race that turned into a sprint home. That was behind Willaidow. The runner up, Iowna Merc, has since franked the form. Wategos has won two from four second up and gets out to a more suitable 1400m.
How to play it: West of Africa to win.
Race 10 – 5.55PM CHANDON HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
7. Time To Boogie was only fair when beaten two lengths at Rosehill last start, but he is capable of better. He was a month between runs tackling 1200m and perhaps that found him out. The five-year-old finished sixth behind Grand Impact. In fourth was With Your Blessing and fifth Inhibitions. They have both won their subsequent starts. Like the set-up for Time To Boogie on Saturday getting the blinkers for the first time and coming back to 1100m. Might be the right time to push the button and ride him for speed again. First up he was nosed out on the line by Iowna Merc before he was luckless when favourite in the Canterbury Sprint. Drops 3.5kg slightly up in grade. Well placed to atone for the disappointing run three weeks ago. 5. Shezanalister landed confident bets when winning at Randwick first up. She quickened to run down 10. The Black Cloud from the second half of the field. Her fresh form reads better than her second-up form, but that is a little deceptive. For instance, second up last time in she raced on the inferior ground closer to the fence.
How to play it: Time To Boogie to win.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
