Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Rosehill on Saturday, April 25th.
This meeting is normally the standalone meeting at Hawkesbury but it takes place at Rosehill this year. The eight-race card features three Group 3s, including the Hawkesbury Cup.
Check out our race-by-race preview and betting tips below!
Rosehill Racing Tips: Saturday, April 25th
Best Bet: Race 6 - (7) Rule The World E/W
Best Value: Race 4 - (10) Nicci's Gold
I'll be taking on the current favourite (2) Rock My Wand here and backing two others in the race. (1) Formentara improved from his first up run to his second up run, sitting up on speed before kicking away to score at Warwick Farm last start. If he improves again and takes up a forward position, he'll be very tough to run down. The stable have a 25% strike rate at Rosehill this season and this is one of only four runners on the day. The other horse I'll be on is (5) Saffiano for the Waller/McDonald combination. He copped a check at the start on debut and was forced to settle at the back of the field. It's not easy to come from that far back on the Kenso track but he ran home well enough into 5th. JMac goes on and he draws the inside gate, so if he jumps clean expect him to settle much further forward today. Taking the $6.00 and expecting him to start shorter.
Value: (5) Saffiano $6.00
Anything could win this. (3) Laure Me In gets JMac on board today which is an eye-catching jockey booking. He's been running well without being able to win one. Getting back onto firm ground is a huge positive for him today as his last three runs have all been on wet tracks. Expect him to go close here with the right run at around $7.00. (12) Poulton Le Sands is a bit of value at $13. He won first up before running 4th at Warwick Farm last start. He's undefeated third up from a spell and again, getting back onto firm ground helps him. (4) Shadow Flight gets the blinkers back on and finds a good race. He's been racing really competitively of late and gets another chance to put his head in front. (13) Loves To Rock next best.
Value: (12) Poulton Le Sands $13
Happy to take on the favourite (10) Grand Piano here. He's drawn wide, gets a firm track and John Thompson has a much better record at Warwick Farm and Randwick than he does at Rosehill. I think (13) Word For Word is an each way play here at $5.50/$2.15. She ran 4th first up on the heavy track at Warwick Farm and looks well suited second up here back on firm ground. She's run 2nd in all three starts when second up and JMac goes on today from barrier 5, so she gets her chance again.(17) Jetski was a bet for me last start and he just got given no chance by JMac, running up backsides the entire straight. He's drawn the car park here out in barrier 18 but I expect he'll run well at each way odds.
(13) Word For Word E/W
$5.50
Again I'm pretty happy to take on the favourite (1) In Her Time here and there's a few at good odds worth backing. I'll stick with (6) Bangkok here, who I've been with in her past couple starts at big odds. She's run really well without winning, recording some very good sectionals from a long way back in the field. She draws the inside gate today so hopefully she can position a touch closer to the speed, in which case she might be close enough to run them down. She's got a good record at Rosehill, has placed in eight of her nine starts at the track and won her only start at the track and distance. (10) Nicci's Gold is worth having something on at $41. She was beaten a long way first up but she always needs her first up run. She's only ever placed once from eight starts first up but she's won four of her six starts when second up, so she really jumps out of the ground at this stage of her prep. (4) Multaja is a classy mare and she gets JMac on first up, which is often a really good sign with Godolphin runners that they are ready to win fresh. (3) Moss Trip is another that tends to need her first up run but she should have gone close to winning second up last prep. Include her at $20. (5) Naantali not hopeless.
Value: (10) Nicci's Gold $41
(5) All Too Royal has been nominated for a number of races the past week or two but has been saved for this. He's had a nine-week break since his last run, so they've freshened him up, and for good reason. He's won four of his five starts when first up from a break, so if he comes here in similar order to what he normally does first up, he'll give this a huge shake. His last run in the Oakleigh Plate was also very good. (15) Agent Pippa needs to lead to win and she might well find the rail from barrier 3. She's no good if she can't find the rail so expect them to ride her aggressively and run them along. Rosehill has played a bit on speed in recent months so she may well be in front for a long way at good odds. And by her running them along, it sets it up for the stablemate (1) Tactical Advantage who will be off the pace. Pippa looks a bit of value at $14.
Value: (15) Agent Pippa $14
(7) Rule The World looks a decent bet at $8.00 here. He's won three of his four career starts and his only failure was as the $2.10 favourite in the G3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle last time we saw him. He's been tuned up for this with three trials, Tim Clark goes straight on board so we can expect him to lead, the stable is flying and they've got a terrific strike rate here at Rosehill. He's a great bet. (14) Icebath had no luck at all last start and wasn't beaten far in G3 company the start prior to that. With even luck she goes close. (12) Mirra Vision has been underrated by the market at $26 but she never saw daylight last start so I'd be forgiving her for that. She looks a big price. (4) Bandersnatch did little wrong last prep and is sure to be ready to win this as Gerald Ryan always has his runners ready to go fresh.
I've been with (14) Manolo Blahniq most of his prep and it would just kill me to see him win today if I jumped off. He's been racing really well in unsuitable race shapes, on unsuitable surfaces, with unsuitables rides. He gets Rachel King taking over today as he heads to Sydney and he's back onto firm ground which is a big plus. If he can get a cart into the race and not be 10L off them around the bend, he might be able to chalk up a win at each way odds. Wouldn't shock me to see a couple of Waller runners improve sharply today. (6) Girl Tuesday had blood in one nostril after her poor run first up but has since been back to the trials, while (4) Unforgotten is badly out of form, but if she's ever going to find it, it will be today. She's got a terrific second up record and goes very well at the track and distance. (8) Amangiri next best.
(14) Manolo Blahniq
$9.00
Anything could win this as well. (11) Miss Einstein goes on top, resuming from a spell for Bjorn Baker and Jason Collett. She's won three of her six starts, two of which came at the end of last prep. She was only beaten a head first up last prep and if she's improved from last prep to this prep, she'll take plenty of beating first up here. (6) True Detective has always shown plenty of ability but he's failed to go on with it a bit. He gets a big drop back in grade today and a big jockey change with JMac taking over from Glyn Schofield. He won't get a much better chance to win. (2) Tricky Gal resumed with a good win and it's hard to knock a mare with five wins and two 2nds from seven career starts. (13) Nordicus looks a bit of value at $11, coming off two good runs in some strong form races. The chances don't end there.
