The Group 2 $200,000 XXXX Run To The Rose features a stunning field of the rising stars of Australian racing on a card to be run under Covid-Safe protocols at Kembla Grange.
The meeting also sees a high-class field of fillies and mares in the Group 2 $200,000 Coolmore Sheraco Stakes – an early dress rehearsal for the inaugural $2 million The Invitation at Royal Randwick on 23 October – and the Group 2 $200,000 Chandon Theo Marks Stakes for the sprinters.
And the Listed $150,000 Drinkwise Dulcify Stakes adds further Blacktype to a ten-race card before eight consecutive Saturdays of $1 million-plus races amidst the Australian Turf Club’s Everest Carnival and running of the world’s richest race, the $15 million TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on 16 October.
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager of Racing and Wagering, James Ross said the quality of horses across all ages and distances over coming months in Sydney was world-class.
“The XXXX Run To The Rose this Saturday features an outstanding crop of three-year-olds on several feature race pathways including the $1 million XXXX Golden Rose in two weeks and even the TAB Everest deeper into the Carnival," Mr Ross said.
“We are delighted with the quality of the fields in recent weeks and it is very exciting to have in the XXXX Run To The Rose the winners of five major two-year-old races including the Longines Golden Slipper, Inglis Sires and Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes.
“The racing will continue to be world-class as we head further into Sydney’s growing and innovative Spring Carnival, offering almost $50 million in prizemoney."
Boom Godolphin three-year-old Anamoe – a last-start Group 1 winner for trainer James Cummings and champion jockey James McDonald – is the opening $3.10 into $2.80 TAB favourite in the XXXX Run To The Rose.
Fellow Group 1 winners Converge ($4.60-$5 TAB) for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and jockey Tim Clark, and reigning Longines Golden Slipper champion Stay Inside ($7 to $7.50 TAB) for Michael and Richard Freedman and jockey Kerrin McEvoy, are high in markets.
Highly promising Hawkes Racing colt Remarque – being touted as a TAB Everest contender – is at $5 to $5.50 TAB with jockey Hugh Bowman aboard. The outstanding field includes Coolmore-owned colt Home Affairs at $9-$11 TAB, trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Nash Rawiller, another Group 1 winner Captivant ($13-$14 TAB Peter and Paul Snowden and rider Sam Clipperton) and last start San Domenico Stakes winner In The Congo ($13-$11 TAB Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, jockey Josh Parr).
Highly-rated Kiwi mare Entriviere – a winner of five from seven starts for champion New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards – is the opening $3.20 into $3 TAB favourite in the Group 2 $200,000 Coolmore Sheraco Stakes for jockey James McDonald.
In another competitive betting race, five other horses are under double-figure odds, headed by three horses in early betting – Fituese $6 (John Thompson and Rachel King), Tailleur $6-$7 (James Cummings and Kerrin McEvoy) and Written Beauty $6 into $5.50 (Hawkes Racing and Jason Collett).
The Group 2 $200,000 Chandon Theo Marks Stakes features two of Sydney’s most promising gallopers fighting for TAB favourtism – Big Parade at $3.60-$3.10 TAB (Mark Newnham and Tim Clark) and Private Eye at $3.50-$4.00 TAB (Joe Pride and Jay Ford).
Saturday’s Kembla Grange meeting will be covered live through SKY Thoroughbred Central, SKY Racing 1 and on TAB and SKY Racing Active accounts.