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By Ray Hickson

It would come as no surprise to jockey Tim Clark if promising gelding Cross Talk became Gai Waterhouse’s eighth Doncaster Mile winner come Day 1 of The Star Championships or at the very least gave it a shake.

Jockey Tim Clark (Pic: Bradley Photos)

As the lightly raced five-year-old returns in the Chandon Handicap (1400m), his autumn kick off, Clark said Cross Talk charged through the grades in the second half of 2022 like a horse with plenty more to give.

He’s a $51 chance in the Group 1 $4m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m), run on April 1, and Clark said a taste of Group 1 company in the spring is a good platform for his best campaign yet.

“He came a long way last prep, he started off in a Benchmark 72 and got to a Group 1,’’ he said.

“He took some big steps forward last prep and hopefully he can build on that back of it.”

Cross Talk missed a placing for the first time in his 10 starts when he finished eighth as a $9 chance in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap back on October 1.

He is favoured to make a winning return, he was $2.10 with TAB on Thursday, and he’s signalled with two barrier trial wins he’ll be hard to beat.

“He seems to be going well, I’m happy with his trials and he seems in good shape,’’ Clark said.

“He doesn’t carry a lot of condition but he looks really good.

“He will make his own luck, he can run at a higher tempo for a long period. That’s where he wins a lot of his races.”

Clark has a mouth watering book of rides which includes three short priced favourites – aside from Cross Talk he’ll partner in-form mare Mariamia ($1.90) and boom Godolphin colt Aft Cabin ($1.65) in two of the Rosehill features.

Mariamia was able to offset a wide barrier to win the Group 2 Expressway Stakes and has the same task back against the mares in the Group 2 $250,000 Rosehill Bowling Club Millie Fox Stakes (1300m).

“She’s drawn a little sticky and is going to need things to work out for her again,’’ Clark said.

“But she couldn’t have been more impressive in the Expressway. Taking that form into this race she’s going to be awfully hard to beat.”

It’s likely Clark will be saddle warming on Aft Cabin in the Group 2 $400,000 Petaluma Hobartville Stakes (1400m) but he’s looking forward to the ride.

Aft Cabin was brilliant in winning the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) two weeks ago but will be faced with a different task from an outside barrier on Saturday. Though that doesn’t concern Clark.

“He couldn’t have been more impressive in the Eskimo Prince,’’ he said.

“We have to offset a wide draw but he looks like he has enough natural speed to get himself out of trouble to a point where hopefully he can dominate.

“He probably doesn’t have to improve to be hard to beat again.”

Cross Talk wins a trial at Randwick on February 6

Clark won the Group 2 Fujitsu General Silver Slipper (1100m) back in 2018 on classy filly Sunlight and he partners Magic Millions runner-up Platinum Jubilee in this year’s renewal.

He put the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott filly through her paces in a barrier trial a couple of weeks ago and can only expect her to be competitive as she’s been in all three starts to date.

“She’s hardly put a foot wrong in her three runs. She seems pretty bombproof, she’s versatile,’’ he said.

“She’s another that’s drawn a little awkwardly so just where she gets to in the run I’m not too sure.

“She’s had a short turnaround from the Magic Millions, she’s had that tickover trial and she’s going to run another honest race.”

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