Latest News

By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Rosehill on Saturday.

The rail is out 6m and the form has been done for a Good track.

11. Shen Gui only has to hold his form from last start to be somewhere in the finish again. The six-year-old ran second to Banju four weeks ago in Highway Handicap company as a $21 pop and he has opened a similar price here. We’ve seen what Banju has done since, annihilating a Highway field by five lengths. Scone-based trainer Lou Mary has certainly got the best out of the son of All Too Hard. It took Shen Gui 14 starts to crack his maiden, and four different trainers, but he hasn’t looked back since. The other advantage this galloper has is the perfect draw giving Chad Schofield the option to press forward and sit outside of the lead of take hold if a wave of horses spear across from wide draws, which could happen looking at the map. Each way.

Dangers: 4. King’s Trust and 10. Lord Desanimaux are two reliable Highway performers. The map looks kinder to King's Trust and Tommy Berry rides again.3. Royal Exit won his first two starts form Mark Schmetzer before racing in a BM72 at Rosehill. He was never in the hunt given the slow tempo. 5. Kinship won a benchmark race at Newcastle last start and will roll forward to make his own luck.

How to play it: Shen Gui EACH WAY ($9.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Shen Gui running second to Banju last start

There are big expectations on debut for 4. Great Barrier Reef, the son of I Am Invincible (out of Group One winning mare Cosmic Endeavour) having fetched $1.4m at the sales. That, of course, far from guarantees talent but Great Barrier Reef did look to have a lot of class about him in his two trials. He won the first of those with his head on his chest before reappearing seven weeks later where despite running sixth, McDonald still had a lot of horse underneath him. He isn’t a jump and run style of horse but the draw and small field will see him land right there.

Dangers: 3. Flashing Steel got a long way back on debut in the race won by Sweet Ride. He's a touch raw but he's a talent. 2. Best Of Bordeaux has trialled well for Kacy Fogden up in Queensland and looks set to hold a prominent spot in running, perhaps even lead.

How to play it: Great Barrier Reef WIN ($1.45 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Great Barrier Reef’s latest barrier trial

1. Ebhaar got an easy time of it up front at Caulfield on debut but she quickened brilliantly in the run home and showed terrific fight to shake off Boldinho who had loomed as the winner yet she was soft on the line. Boldinho subsequently ran a luckless fourth in the Inglis Nursery as the $2.30 favourite. He should have won. Ebhaar has been back to the trial since, clocking the fastest 792m heat time of the morning despite looking to be in fifth gear throughout. She comfortably held off 5. Mumbai Jewel at the finish, who ran a great fifth in the Gimcrack on debut, so we get a rough form line through that race. There are a lot of speedy fillies engaged so suspect we’ll see Ebhaar ridden with a sit. On what we’ve seen of all the two-year-olds this season so far she’s right at the pointy end already.

Dangers: 6. Pantonario gave a sight in the Gimcrack, holding down third, before Fireburn and 8. Revolutionary Miss reeled her in four weeks ago on the Kensington track. She draws to find the fence first over the Rosehill 1100m. It’s just a question of how much pressure she’ll be able to absorb. 7. Queen Of The Ball will have a big say in that, zipping across from the wide draw. That’s what she did on debut when second to 2. Ojai. Ojai used two plumb draws to her advantage at her first two starts. She is afforded no such luxury in this, so maps awkwardly. 4. Drisana missed the kick in the Gimcrack before motoring home into second behind Coolangatta. She jumped cleanly in a Rosehill barrier trial since then.

How to play it: Ebhaar WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

"From what we've seen from the 2YOs so far this season, she's right at the pointy end already."

📹BEST BET: @BradJGray is keen on the chances of a talented youngster in the Widden Stakes at Rosehill @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/eIIWEjW4Mi

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) January 27, 2022

8. Deel With Me’s first up seventh might not have looked much to the eye but the leader and winner Titanium Power made it impossible for the backmarkers, controlling the race from in front. Deel With Me only got warm very late over the 1300m trip in what turned into a sprint home. The four-year-old's last 200m split of 11.61s was the second quickest across the entire meeting, bettered only by Dream Circle. There was hidden merit to the run. The step out to 1500m suits now second up and banking that he can use the draw to settle within striking distance as unfortunately, he looks to have found another race without much speed. We do know that he'll be powering to the line and if he can stay in touch, they'll certainly know he is there.

Dangers: The blinkers come off 4. And We Danced having found one better in her two Australian runs. She’s been given every possible chance with James McDonald now tasked with finding that extra length to turn another second into a win. She has floated when she's hit the front so it could prove a masterstroke to take the shades off, and coming back to 1500m looks in her favour too. This is certainly no harder than what she has been competing in, and she maps to get the run of the race again, but how many more chances do we give her? Where else do you turn?  7. Kanazawa has more upside than most here and at least has a turn of foot.

How to play it: Deel With Me WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

4. Military Expert faces a tricky draw but the three-year-old has got the necessary gate speed to put himself into the race and Tommy Berry will be well aware that he’s on the best horse in the race. At least on potential anyways. The colt ended last preparation with two Group placings. That was all in his first racing campaign too, which began with a narrow second to King Of Sparta on debut on the Kensington track. That CV sees him exceptionally well placed in a Midway at BM72 level. Military Expert has had two trials this time back, finishing 1.5L off Home Affairs in the latest of those, staying under a tight hold. It was a trial full of stars and he held his own. With any luck from the barrier, he should put these away before Annabel Neasham aims up at richer autumn targets.

Dangers: 14. More Sundays has raced very well on the back up in the past. He didn’t fire a shot last Saturday though, despite being heavily supported. 12. Oakfield Arrow was an all-the-way winner of a Midway last start and maps to find the front again. There is more depth here, however. 8. Akihiro is more of a miler but he really developed at the backend of last preparation. 6. Always Sure and 9. Astero are hopes too.

How to play it: Military Expert WIN ($3 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Military Expert’s latest barrier trial

7. Casino Kid relished stepping out to 1800m last start, pulling away from Niffler and Zegalo. His strength through the line was the key takeaway so it’s no surprise that trainer Jan Bowen steps him out over further again to 2000m. Reece Jones sticks with the four-year-old and wouldn’t expect the apprentice to overcomplicate things. Similar to three weeks ago, just let Casino Kid find his feet, balancing up midfield or worse before letting him wind up in clear air. Casino Kid is deep into his campaign now, tackling this race seventh up but he appears to be thriving at the moment and all he has to do is hold his form to prove to be the horse to beat with 53.5kg on his back. Confident he can go back-to-back in a race with limited winning chances.

Dangers: 2. Crystal Pegasus finished off strongly at the end of 1500m first up behind Monegal, with Blesk running third, which sets him up well for the preparation. The import steps straight out to 2000m and finds James McDonald. Still might be half a run short off his best but Chris Waller has placed him perfectly in this. 3. Flambeur sets up to improve sharply on the lucklustre form he has shown in Australia to date. He’s struggled to beat a runner home to date but like the way he worked to the line last Saturday after being held up at the top of the straight when he needed to get going. It was a glimmer of his former Group form in France.

How to play it: Casino Kid WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Casino Kid winning last start

Gun three-year-old 6. Anamoe launches his autumn over 1200m, which makes him a touch vulnerable first up, particularly in the context of him opening a skinny odds on favourite, but given the options available to James Cummings, Anamoe wouldn’t be here if he didn’t think his colt was sharp enough to cope. He wasn’t at his dynamic best first up last preparation over this same trip but still beat the subsequent Golden Rose winner In The Congo and he did it off a well-publicized minor set back. Anamoe was given an easy trial over 900m at Rosehill to tune up for his return, cruising to the line from last. Maps to settle down midfield, albeit in a race without much pressure on paper. There are a few little queries for Anamoe, no doubt, but we’re talking about a horse that only bad luck denied him winning the Golden Rose, Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate treble last campaign.

Dangers: The advantage 8. Overpass has over fellow three-year-old Anamoe is that he is an out-and-out sprinter. He raced without luck last campaign so his form doesn’t do him justice, nor does the whopping 34 rating points between him and Anamoe. 4. Forbidden Love looked very sharp in a recent barrier trial behind Nature Strip. We saw her sprint brilliantly first up last preparation over 1100m from an impossible position. That was against her own sex but she maps to potentially lead this field. 1. Standout won this race in 2020 and is a reliable sprinter at this level. Needs a dry track, and a soft draw, and he gets both of those on Saturday.

How to play it: Anamoe WIN ($1.75 TAB Fixed Odds) and 6,8 QUINELLA Odds & Evens: EVENS

Anamoe’s barrier trial this time back

4. Yiyi savaged the line first up, clocking the quickest last 200m split across the meeting, marginally ahead of Lackeen, who has come out and franked that form by winning last Saturday. Yiyi was entitled to sprint home given how slow 5. Kingsheir went up front but it was a very encouraging return from the four-year-old. He charged through the grades last preparation, winning four and placing in three others. Like the three weeks between runs to keep the speed in his legs, James McDonald rides and Yiyi maps to box seat from the inside draw, with 7. Canasta taking him into the straight. Had him pegged as a superior wet tracker but his two wins at the backend of last campaign disproved that. No excuses.

Dangers: This race cracks right open if Yiyi happens to flatten off second up, with most runners some sort of chance. What you see is what you get from Cansta. He has been beaten less than a length at his past four starts. Expect Josh Parr to get his rivals chasing now he’s hard fit on the back up. 8. O’Mudgee beat his stablemate Canasta fair and square two back before finding himself in a very slowly run race last Saturday, which disguised the merit in his fourth. 3. Holyfield was nutted in a four way go at the Magic Millions and should camp on the shoulder of Canasta. 6. Wairere Falls will need to find a length or two to turn the tables on a couple of the key chances while was a dominant last start winner on the back of a clever Sam Clipperton ride.

How to play it: Yiyi WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Yiyi’s return three weeks ago

6. Rule Of Law hasn’t been beaten since being gelded and transferred to Bjorn Baker. The sprinter has won three on the bounce and although he’ll find his level shortly, he certainly looks capable of taking the next step in BM88 company having won a BM72 three weeks ago. He defied a big betting drift to win that race too. The four-year-old parked outside of the leader and fought off Joviality late, with a further three lengths back to third. James McDonald pilots Rule Of Law this time and shouldn’t have any trouble holding the front from the inside draw. Can’t see any of his rivals in this pressing on early to make him work. If J-Mac can pinch a breather at any stage, he can only be in the finish somewhere.

Dangers: Stablemate 1. Inanup is a new recruit to the Baker yard. He’s an eight-year-old now so don’t expect new peaks but if he produce anywhere near his best, he’d shake the life out of this race. Maps well, has trialled nicely and is two from two over the Rosehill 1200m. 9. Tamerlane lobs into the perfect spot on Saturday from the low draw. Has had genuine excuses for all three of his defeats this time back. Not sure where 4. The Bopper fits into this race map-wise. It looks tricky with 3. Ranges likely to take the spot outside of Rule Of Law. There might be a one-out-one-back position. Otherwise, he could be posted. 5. Dream Circle possesses a monster finish but prefers to get his toe in.

How to play it: Rule Of Law WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Rule Of Law making it three straight last start

6. Van Giz clocked the fastest closing splits of the meeting when second to The Bopper first up back in December before backing that up with a luckless third behind Dragonstone staying at 1000m. She was never going to beat the winner but should have finished closer. The five-year-old mare was then deep-ended in the Magic Millions mares race won by Snapdancer. After being shuffled back in running she kept finding the line to only be beaten just shy of four lengths. In that company and given she was jumping from 1000m to 1300m, it was better than a pass mark. Her strength through the line now prompts trainer Bjorn Baker to try the daughter of Written Tycoon over 1400m for the first time. Kerrin McEvoy knows her well and will use the draw to park forward of midfield.

Dangers: 2. Ulysses is a very capable galloper on his day and thought he did enough first up over 1200m to recommend in this out to 1400m second up, from a perfect draw. 14. Narvaez will find the front but won’t have it all his own way with some pressure being applied from wider draws. He was sent around a $41 pop at Flemington first up a fortnight ago and despite sitting deep throughout from the wide draw he rallied again late to pinch third. 10. Crosscheck swept home to cause an upset first up and second up last preparation he wasn’t beaten far by Fashchanel. 7. Above And Beyond , 8. Juventus and 12. Secretively (backing up from last night!) have reached their marks but this is a suitable race for all three.

How to play it: Van Giz WIN ($5.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Van Giz second up behind Dragonstone

All the fields, form and replays for Rosehill on Sunday