Latest News

By Brad Gray

4. Cruel Summer is seven weeks between runs. That’s the gamble with this five-year-old. Otherwise, he has a terrific profile to be winning another Midway. His latest victory was over this same track and trip in thid same company three starts ago. That was on a good track. He is even more effective on wet tracks. Thereafter he ran second to Putt For Dough at Randwick out to 1400m before boxing on well at Newcastle when third to Sir Ravanelli and Starman in BM78 company. Respect how firm he was in betting, jumping favourite. Molly Bourke jumps on Cruel Summer for the first time and looks well suited to the front-running gelding. The 3kg claiming apprentice comes off a midweek double at Warwick Farm. Whatever Rosehill throws up come Saturday Cruel Summer will handle it and he’ll make his own luck.

Dangers: 5. Navy Blood was disappointing second up after such a dominant Midway win first up. A return to his fresh form would just about win this. Respect that he started $2.80 five weeks ago, ultimately racing flat. Freshened since then. Another wet track suits. 6. Putt For Dough has the right Midway form lines himself to warrant plenty of respect. He is five weeks between runs too, having run third to Bakerloo in the same race as Navy Blood. Gets the blinkers again and maps to trail the speed. Beat Cruel Summer fair and square on a heavy track back in April. Meets him 5kg worse off at the weights. 3. Flying Trapeze has the best depth of form, coming through Group races over the autumn. He won a recent Warwick Farm trial in good style. 13. Eye Pea Oh flashed home behind Yiska last start. 9. Life Coach still has upside.

How To Play It: Cruel Summer WIN

2. Associate was brave in defeat at Rosehill last start. On a deteriorating track he got shuffled back in the run, copping kickback yet still kept finding the line. That was despite being seven weeks between runs and trialling ordinarily in between. He strikes this Highway just a month between runs, tackling the same track and trip, on a better surface. Hannah Williams rode last start and the claiming apprentice stays with the four-year-old, offsetting the 62kg impost. That drops to 59kg. The son of Star Witness has always been loaded with talent. He ran second to Strait Acer on debut a couple of years ago. He should be able to park a couple of pairs closer from the gate. Still get the impression there is more to come from him, with only 11 starts to his name.

Dangers: 3. Shihab was beaten 5L last start but it was behind Know Thyself, one of the most impressive Highway winners to date. The gelding is relishing a run of heavy tracks at the moment. Just needs luck angling into the clear at the right time from barrier 1. 8. Agirlsbestfriend ran on well in that same race. 4. Amarantz maps to be giving away a big head starts but her last start effort behind Rematch was better than it reads on paper. 16. Invasive Dreams could be worth another chance.

How To Play It: Associate WIN

9. Naval Commission is chasing four straight wins. The four-year-old was entitled to win at Warwick Farm last start given he got complete control throughout as race favourite but he did it well, beating Funambulist. That was with 59kg on his back. He drops to 52kg jumping a few grades into a BM90 but stayers can make that leap. Zac Lloyd is booked to ride. Drawn barrier 1, the map looks pretty straightforward. Jump straight onto the back of the leader Father’s Day. He’ll take him everywhere he needs to go in the straight. Naval Commission potentially has the role of dragging the rest of the field up to Father’s Day who will attempt to pinch a winning break turning for home but he’s well set up to sustain a sprint, striking this at his fifth run in. Still on the up.

Dangers: 7. Father’s Day kicked clear like the winner at Kensington last start but was run down late by Kadavar, whom he gave away 6.5kg to. Looks to own this race from in front without another obvious leader. Hard fit now fourth up, which is significant given his racing style. As is the drop in weights, coming down 8.5kg after the claim. 8. Kureder is dangerous getting out to 2400m. He looks to want every bit of the trip now. His two previous wins over the mile and a half were in benchmark races in Queensland but he was dominant. 5. Gan Teorainn is approaching two years since she last won but her best two recent performances have been over this trip. Closed well in the Winter Cup two weeks ago behind Sir Lucan on a heavy track. Looks well placed.

How To Play It: Naval Commission WIN

3. Amberite has been excellent in his two runs for Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie. The former Kiwi was edged out by Foujita San at Caulfield last start but that was on a good track. Despite that he still fought out the finish. Prior to that the four-year-old ran out a dominant winner at Flemington. That was on a soft track. He looks relatively exposed with 19 starts to his name but it took him nine starts to break his maiden. It’s all clicked since then. Looking back over his form in New Zealand, he’s a brilliant wet tracker. In won of his last races before relocating he put near eight lengths on his rivals on heavy ground over 2100m. The runner up there won a Group Three at his subsequent start. Has gate speed so potentially gets a cart across from Nana’s Wish to settle handy.

Dangers: 11. Decadent Tale won well at Randwick last start in Midway company. She may have been flattered by a perfect ride, and chasing a genuine speed, but she put a length on November Falls late and there was another three lengths back to third. The Jason Deamer-trained mare looks to have returned particularly well after a six-week break. 4. Unanimous looks to be building towards another win. Made his run in inferior ground at Randwick second up finishing alongside subsequent winner Space Age. Out to 1800m looks perfect, as does the prospect of another wet track. 10. Inquiring Minds pulled up slow to recover last start. He is better than that. 6. Vegas Outlaw is trending the right way while last start winner 14. Bright Red just has to stretch to 1800m.

How To Play It: Amberite WIN

2. Ha Ha Ha resumed from an 80 week spell at Rosehill two weeks ago. The Irish import didn’t have an excuses in defeat but she never stopped trying and was coming again through the line. That says she’ll appreciate creeping out to 1400m. The five-year-old will be better again over the mile. The gamble is whether she flattens off a touch second up after running so well fresh on the back of a lengthy layoff. Amy McLucas rode her a fortnight ago and she sticks. This isn’t any harder with the potential exception of Aberlour, but more on her shortly. Ha Ha Ha made light work of a wide gate in her first run in Australia and expecting similar on Saturday. Doesn’t map to get it all her own way but she’ll be hard to chase down.

Dangers: 1. Aberlour is a two-time Listed winner across from New Zealand. She has won her past three starts, the latest coming by a 5.5 length margin. She led on that occasion so has good tactical speed. Now with Joe Pride, the filly has had three trials ahead of her return. Still learning her craft but looks a talent and could simply be better than this grade. 4. African Daisy rode the speed at Warwick Farm first up and fought out the finish with 7. Demiana. Amati franked that form line. Comes on from that, Nash Rawiller sticks and loves wet tracks. Any improvement off that makes her a big player in this. 5. Dazzling Lucy looked set to go straight past Ha Ha Ha last start but couldn’t go on with it. Wasn’t beaten far and that’s an obvious form reference for this.

How To Play It: Ha Ha Ha WIN

10. In Flight won an identical race to this two weeks ago. Same track, trip and grade. The trade off is an extra 3kg with her rating continue to increase. Hasn’t looked to have reached her ceiling yet either. First up at Gosford she beat a subsequent winner in Flightcrew while a fortnight ago she sprinted clear of One Destiny, another subsequent winner. Her failure second up can be put down to the deteriorating track. She’s a well credentialed wet tracker but that was next level. Very few horses handled it that meeting. The races were abandoned after that race. Jockey Jay Ford sticks after riding the Joe Pride-trained filly last time out and she maps to get a perfect trailing run from the gate. Shouldn’t have any excuses.

Dangers: Pride looks to have the main threat to In Flight in another filly 13. Cosmonova. She is three and half weeks between runs and is only second up but there’s more to come from her. Loomed to win first up at Warwick Farm but felt the pinch late. That was with 59.5kg on her back. One Destiny won that race and ties the form in here. Drops in weight up in grade. 11. Eye Of The Fire ran at Hawkesbury on Tuesday. It’s a sharp turnaround but like how he charged to the line despite being ridden back in the field, not his typical racing style. Still in his first campaign. 3. Boston Rocks and 7. The Escape for the exotics.

How To Play It: In Flight WIN

5. Golden Path has only had 10 starts. The four-year-old had his first run over 2000m last start and came through with flying colours. He chased a tearaway leader who looked to have pinched a winning break. The fast early pressure made it a test of stamina late. The gelding looks to have turned a corner in Sydney at his past two starts. He was luckless in The Coast prior over the mile, running out of room up the fence. His return to form has also coincided with getting back onto rain-affected ground. He has drawn wide on Saturday but has gate speed to offset that. Expect Chad Schofield, who has ridden him at his past two starts, to be positive early. That tactical advantage looks a significant one given Waterford looks his main threat.

Dangers: 2. Waterford hasn’t run over any further than 1800m in his 19 start career to date. Chris Waller has always said he was keen to see the five-year-old over the trip. Found the line at Randwick last start like he might be looking for more ground now. Loves wet ground and four of his five career wins have come at Rosehill. 12. Principessa gets the blinkers back on. They went on fifth up last campaign and it saw instant improvement, winning at Canterbury. She too loves wet ground. Looks to be building into her preparation nicely. 3. Bold Mac is a touch suspect running out a strong 2000m but he is capable on his day, as he reminded punters last start. 7. Touristic and 9. Foniska rate mentions. The wetter the better for the latter.

How To Play It: Golden Path WIN

5. Silvanito is flying in his first preparation for Nathan Doyle. Another win looks to be close. There has only been one blemish in his four runs since calling Newcastle home. That was in Midway company where he didn’t look comfortable in the run. The former Godolphin-trained gelding has always been talented but could be a little hit and miss so you have to forgive him that. Otherwise, he comes through all the right races this time in and was beaten by the barrier at Rosehill two weeks ago when second to Captain Furai. He still knuckled down to find the line. This is a similar race and he maps to settle closer. Prior to that he ran well at Scone in a hot race behind Elson Boy and Ostraka. First up he chased home Commemorative.

Dangers: 3. Elouyou is yet to finish out of the money in seven career starts and is still improving himself. He showed great heart to just miss at Sandown second up. It was a fast race with first and third from that race winning their subsequent start. Elouyou then stepped into Saturday company at Flemington, jumped a well backed favourite, but was worried out of it on the line.

How To Play It: Silvanito WIN

Big field but 12. I’mintowin should get the chance to cross and lead from the draw. He fought on doggedly over this same track and trip two weeks ago when second to Franz Josef. That was the four-year-old’s first exposure to heavy ground. He’s ticked that box now. We are still learning about where this former Kiwi fits in class-wise and distance-wise but on the evidence we have to this point, he could be a fast miler type. Perhaps he will stretch out to 2000m again in time but he failed over the trip last campaign despite being a $2.40 favourite. He also has the scope to work through the grades. Regan Bayliss jumps back on for Saturday and he rode the gelding in his first two Australian runs, which of course included his dominant win back in November.

Dangers: 15. Testator Silens has a sense of timing about him. Wouldn’t say there is much, if any, upside with the six-year-old but in his defence, he is still lightly-raced with just 20 starts to his name. Strikes this third up, Nash Rawiller rides, draws well. Would be surprised if he isn’t in the finish. Runs beyond 1400m for the first time in his career. 16. Fortune is the wildcard. The French import was down to resume over 1800m last Saturday prior to the meeting being washed out. The backup plan is 1500m. Perhaps not ideal but have been taken by the sharpness of his two trials. Monitor any market confidence. His stablemate 3. Redstone Well has turn of foot which could see him show up fresh. Has trialled well. 6. Bethencourt and 10. War Eternal are in the mix.

How To Play It: I’mintowin WIN

5. Don Diego De Vega adds so much intrigue to this race. The French import is first up for 54 weeks. That’s the first hurdle but he has had two trials and liked the way the grey gelding found the line on both occasions. The real story, however, is his depth of form. He has only had five starts. One of those, in May last year, was a third at Chantilly in Listed company over 2000m. He was beaten three lengths by Ace Impact. He retired unbeaten going on to win the Arc De Triomphe three starts later. That has to be a strong form reference for a BM78 in the middle of winter at Rosehill! He started $4.40 in that particular race too. There looks to be a lot of room to move off his current rating of 77. Late money might tell the story.

Dangers: Doubt the 61kg will bother 1. Franz Josef being such a powerfully built three-year-old. He stretches to 1800m for the first time but shapes to run it out. His cruising speed should suit getting over a touch further. He wasn’t as spectacular last start when an odds on favourite but he got the job done. 6. Bear On The Loose is another import stepping out in Australia for the first time. He resumes from a 41 week break. Like the improvement he showed from his first trial into his second and is a winner of three if his five starts. 8. Time Quest won on protest at Warwick Farm last start. He loves wet ground so won’t want the track to dry out too much. 9. Kapakiri is still likely to be a run away from hitting his peak but his return behind Franz Josef and Captain Furai, who have both won again since, suggests he has returned well.

How To Play It: Don Diego De Vega WIN

11. Bojangles produced one of the runs of the race at Scone last start behind Elson Boy. That race has subsequently provided half a dozen winners. The Kim Waugh-trained three-year-old didn’t get the clearest of passages in the straight but flashed home into sixth. Prior to that he won at Hawkesbury as an even money favourite before running second to Schwarz in the Hawkesbury Guineas out to 1400m. Ther is no doubt that the Showtime gelding is good enough, the gamble is the six weeks between runs. Presumably that means he has had a little hiccup on the way through. His trial at Wyong since then was a pass mark. The fact that Waugh is happy to press on with his preparation suggests he has done everything right at home since.

Dangers: We know the deal with 15. Starman, he is finding it impossible to win but continues to run good races. He placed again three weeks ago. 9. King Of Naples has a touch over a length margin to turn around on Jedibeel from Scone last start but he was only first up. Strikes this six weeks between runs too. Maps to get the right run. As does 7. Shalailed who did enough at Randwick first up to suggest he can win more races over the winter.

How To Play It: Bojangles WIN

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting