By Neil Evans
After a tough last week, Rosehill training duo Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou are banking on the return of a promising and lightly raced filly to reignite their autumn at Thursday’s Gosford meeting.
She Conquers tackles a Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap over 1000m for only her fourth start, with Tyler Schiller in the saddle.
Racing returns to Gosford on Thursday.Credit: Getty
The stable has had few if any breaks since a Group 2 double at Rosehill on March 15.
Last Saturday’s feature and very open Group 1 Golden Slipper day was a case of what might have been.
Well backed It’s A Wonder was less than a length from the winner in a Midway Benchmark 72 over 1500m, before their Slipper pair King Of Pop and Skyhook finished well down the track.
Of course Skyhook, winner of the Group 3 Pago Pago at his previous run, has since been spelled.
Fast forwarding to Gosford on an improving Soft surface, and the return of She Conquers threatens to be one of the highlights of the meeting.
A daughter of Invade And Conquer, who only raced three times for two wins at Listed level, hasn’t started since a smart off-speed maiden win at Hawkesbury last December.
But she’s been working well, and was given a nice easy trial at Rosehill 10 days ago in preparation for this first-up run.
Meanwhile, a debutant “Battle of the Planets” for trainer Damien Lane and long-time owner Bruce MacKenzie erupts in a Provincial Maiden Hcp over 1200m.
MacKenzie, a former Mayor of Port Stephens and devoted owner and breeder for decades, has the two early market fancies, both carrying his operational name.
Oakfield Jupiter, a filly by Toronado, wears the No.1 saddlecloth for her debut with apprentice Anna Roper in the saddle.
And drawn right alongside is No.2 Oakfield Saturn, a filly by American Pharoah, who has leading jockey Aaron Bullock doing the steering.
Both fillies come in behind 850m trial wins on the Beaumont course at Newcastle, although Oakfield Saturn impressed a little more running 49.22 secs for the trip under a good hold against 49.49 for her stablemate.
Ironically, Bullock and Roper now switch fillies for the real thing after their trial success.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
