It’s a huge day at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday with the running of the $10m Golden Eagle highlighting a ten race card. We’ll also get to see Lost And Running return to the track following his scratching from The Everest as the sprinters go head to head in the Nature Strip Stakes.
Believe it or not, the sun has been shining this week in Sydney! We’ve had warm and sunny weather for the majority of the week and I expect we will be on the better side of a soft surface come race day.
As always, Billy Bestford has cast his eye across the program and brings you his free horse racing tips with previews and best bets for every race on the card.
Best Bet: Race 3 - (4) Waterford
Best Value: Race 6 - (5) Pinarello
Rosehill Racing Tips: Saturday October 29th
Race 1
No surprises to see a wide open Highway to get us started and I’m going to lean toward (2) Ezekiel who should see the perfect run from barrier 1 just stalking the speed. Was very good 2nd up and his record 3rd up is very strong. A drying track will see him improve and happy to have something on him at double figures.
(6) Limited Reality has won three from four and has been kept fresh since last time we saw him. Nash jumps on and I think he will get everything out of the horse. Still lightly raced and doubt we have seen the best of him.
Back up to 1200m suits (4) King Gutho who trialled as good as you’ll see before bolting in first up this prep. Strangely dropped back to 900m last start and just missed. He’s got plenty of ability.
(11) Sir Ravanelli is always competitive in these Highways and he brings super consistent form to this. Rarely puts in a poor one up on speed and will no doubt give them something to catch.
(16) Flying Sultan was tested in a deep race at the end of last prep after recording a couple of impressive wins. He’s trialled well for his return and if the track has dried out he will come into calculations.
(2) Ezekiel
$10 (0.25 units)
Race 2
I like (11) Plymstock 2nd up who drops 7kg and rises in trip off a good 3rd. She’s still got a stack of upside and I think she can build on her fresh effort. She was competitive in some good races in QLD last prep and looks to get every chance from gate 2 in a small field.
(2) Arbitration is in winning form and looked very impressive last start here. Had a little freshen up trial since and after the 3kg claim she gets in very well at the weight.
Would have liked to see (7) Embeller draw a touch wide because I think she can win this on best form. Getting a dry track would be the key to her chances.
(12) Va Via will have fans with Jamie Kah doing the steering down on 52kg. Racing in very good form and will be right in this.
(11) Plymstock
$4.40 (1 unit)
Race 3
(4) Waterford looks extremely hard to beat dropping back to a bm78. He bolted in two back in this grade before tackling the Silver Eagle where he started $6. He was beaten by the gate that day and getting up to 1500m looks ideal. Tommy Berry is unbeaten from three rides on the horse as well. He will be charging over the top of them late.
(5) Rangi Toa looked good when we saw him last prep, winning a couple races. He’s yet to miss the placings in his career from five runs and has trialled well for his return. Has the best front-running jock on his back and will be tough to catch.
(3) Global Ausbred ran an enormous race in the Silver Eagle, finishing 4th at $201. He was a nose away from placing so he has to be some chance back in this sort of race. A wet track would see him show his best form.
(1 Loch Eagle’s first up win had to be seen to be believed when flying home from an impossible position at Canterbury to win. He was respected by the market in the Silver Eagle but put in a flat effort. Can improve 3rd up and rising to 1500m looks a tick.
(4) Waterford
$2.10 (3.5 units)
Race 4
(1) Hameron has to be forgiven for his Metrop fail when he just found it a bit too tough. With that said he was pretty popular in the market and started $14. His runs leading into that were very good in better races than this and dropping to 1900m off a slight freshen will suit. He can hit back with a nice run up off the pace from an inside gate.
(10) Pink Ivory was never a chance on a day where it was impossible to make ground at Randwick on a very wet track. Forgive that run and her lead up efforts were enormous for a race like this. She’s a winner at this trip and should be hard fit 4th up.
(1 Athabascan is first up in Aus with Frankie Dettori to ride. This horse has some solid form in France and I think will be a big market watch. If the punters are happy to be with him fresh at 1900m then he could be the one.
(4) Greek Hero isn’t hopeless at huge odds and was a good winner in a weaker race at Taree last start. He looks suited rising in trip and could run a hole.
(3) Gin Martini has to go into the exotics.
(1) Hameron
$3.60 (1.5 units)
Race 5
Dry track could be the key to (9) Mars Mission who I think is a much better horse than 78 grade. It was a huge first up run on a heavy track where he probably wins on top of the ground. Fitter for that and should see every favour from gate 3. In-form apprentice Zac Lloyd takes off 3kg and this horse is extremely well placed down on 53kg.
(1) Classy Jaybee is in career best form and could be worth have something on at a price. He will find the front from the inside gate and they’ve been dodging wet tracks recently. He should see every chance today on top of the ground.
(7) Winning Verse has been tested in deeper races and should be able to lead these up. Looked the winner for a long way first up and will take big fitness beefit out of that.
(10) Miss Jay fox looks should go into the exotics.
(9) Mars Mission
$2.95 (3 units)
Race 6
(5) Pinarello goes on top here in the Rosehill Gold Cup and looks one of the better value bets on the card for mine. He’s a horse who looks as if he wants every part of 2000m and has been ticking along nicely with two runs in Aus this prep. A dry track could be the key to him and I think he will be charging late while a few these might be struggling in the last 100m. He’s still so lightly raced and I get the feeling we haven’t seen the best of him just yet here down under.
(8) Quality Time is another promising horse who has been working his way through the grades nicely. Comes into this race off three succesive wins with the latest of those over this trip in the Port Macquarie Cup. From barrier 1 I doubt he will have to use any petrol in the run and will be right in the finish once again.
(7) Bois D’argent is a very interesting runner who arrives here from France with a very strong record over 2000m. He’s also yet to miss a place from four first up runs and will be a big yard watch. The market should tell the story with him late.
(15) Honeycreeper has had one start at the trip for an impressive win in the Adrian Knox. Down on just 52kg you can guarantee she will be very strong late in the piece and will just need a good ride from the wide gate.
(1) Stockman would be the next best.
(5) Pinarello
$20/$5.50 (0.25/0.75 units)
Race 7
Cracking sprint race The Nature Strip Stakes with many who contested The Everest going head to head again.
(7) Lost And Running was sensationally scratched from that race and he looked a massive winning chance there. Looking back how the race played out you would have thought he would have gone close. It was not to be but I expect he proves very hard to beat here. Think he is the best sprinter we have outside NS and gets to show his explosive turn of foot on top of the ground. Draws perfectly and while he was runner up in this race last year, I think he’s going even better this time around.
(2) Private Eye very nearly won The Everest and looked the winner with about 100m to go. He is proper airborne and you can guarantee he will be a big closer. One of the better 1300m horse in this race and looks set to peak.
(3) Mazu was also a very good run in that race and caught the eye flying down the outside of the track. From the inside draw here I think he sees every chance to stalk the leaders and he is unbeaten from two 4th up runs.
(11) Weona Smartone looks the blowout chance for mine, coming off a good run in the Sydney Stakes.
(7) Lost And Runing
$2.60 (2.5 units)
Race 8
Here it is. The feature race of the day sees the 4 year olds get their chance to shine in the $10m Golden Eagle. I’m happy to back two runners here for a collect.
(12) Light Infantry arrives in Australia with some elite European form all around him. He was beaten a nose by Inspiral in a big group one in France last start over 1600m. Insipral is one of the better horses in Europe and a repeat of that run sees him extremely hard to beat in this. The stable are masters at getting their horses prepared fresh and by all accounts they are bullish of his chances.
(5) I Wish I Win looks a big price at the current $11 quote. Considering he’s coming off a 5th in the Toorak where he started close to odds on. It wasn’t a bad run at all and most horses would struggle to win from that position. His wins leading into that were as good as you will see and I think he can sit out the back off the hot speed and be finishing over the top.
(15) Fangirl finally gets a dry track and that is a massive tick for her. She’s proven to be a group one horse and while she is going to need a lot of long from the carpark, I expect she can run very well.
(16) Chain Of Lightning comes to Sydney with a very impressive record, winning five from six career starts in Melbourne. Jamie Kah forgoes Derby Day to ride and no doubt Peter Moody will have had this race targeted for this horse. Tackled every challenge she’s faced to date and can measure up once again.
(21) Cardinal Gem gains a start after a scratching and I think he can run very well. Has been flying down in Melbourne and obviously this is a big leao up in grade but he maps well and can fill a hole.
(3) In The Congo will be out in front and away from all the traffic which is usually a good spot to be in these big fields. Should be primed 3rd up for this and can guarantee Clark will give him every chance.
Also Backing: (5) I Wish I Win - $12 (0.5 unit)
(12) Light Infantry
$3.80 (2 units)
Race 9
Not often you see a bm68 worth $500k but here we are with the Four Pillars - another new race with huge prize money in Sydney.
*SCRATCHED* Hard not to be impressed with what (10) Kayobi has done in his career to date. Has won three from five with two 2nds and is unbeaten since joining this stable. The last time he was beaten he ran 2nd to Economics, beaten less than a length. That form looks very good for this and in a race where many of these have found their level, he is one with a bit of upside.
(1) Mahagoni is flying and he is better than 68 grade. With that said, that’s why he will carry 64kg as they chase some huge prize money. He is better than a lot of these and will just need to lump the big weight to be a big winning chance.
(19) Stray has shown flashes of ability but that has been mixed with plenty of poor runs. 4th up now I expect he is hard fit and it wouldn’t shock to see him improve.
(3) Adios Steve is going well and winning form is always good from for a what is a Midway race. He’ll have to go to another level to beat a couple of these but makes his own luck up on speed.
It’s a very long tail and the chances really drop off from here. Could throw (12) Danish Prince and (17) Burning Need in your exotics.
Race 10
(6) I Am Lethal has had excuses at both starts this prep and will enjoy getting back to Sydney and onto a dry track. He is a good horse on his day and I think he gets the right setup from barrier 2 with the right jockey and conditions to see him regain some of his better form.
Think (1) Cotehele will find this easier than the Silver Eagle which he contested first up. Will benefit with that run under the belt and he has a good record at 1300m. Jamie Kah goes on and with a lack of speed in the race she could put him in a prominent position from the wide draw.
(5) Democracy Manifest didn’t run out 1400m last time but his win at this trip first up was very good. He is a genuine line finder and still has upside about him.
(9) Stromboli is in career best form and is another who is on an upward trajectory. He looks one of the few go forward horses in this race and could get everything his own way up on the speed.
(14) Verbek looks the best roughie to close out the card.
(6) I Am Lethal
$6.50 (1 unit)
