By Brad Gray
Punters take note. Star Sensation has improved sharply every start this campaign and trainer Mark Newnham expects the same again on Saturday where she'll set her sights on three straight wins.
The three-year-old-old chestnut filly will take her place on Saturday at Rosehill Gardens in The HQ of Insurance Handicap (1400m) having easily accounted for her older rivals at Randwick last time out.
Star Sensation beating Rosa Carolina at Randwick
“She is going super. She has improved each run and probably just needed it first up. She won a nice little race at Canterbury then beat older mares and won with a bit of authority. I’d say she has improved again since then and will be suited at the 1400m,” said Newnham.
“The idea was to get her through to Saturday class. She is there now and has a bit of weight but on her last run, it’s probably warranted.”
When queried if the firm track had anything to do with her first up defeat, Newnham suggested that it was simply due to her condition stating that she wasn’t quite right in the coat.
The Randwick-based horseman will also be represented by Anatola, who made her first appearance for Newnham at Rosehill having formerly been trained by Mick Price in Melbourne, and he liked what he saw form the five-year-old.
“I thought she’d improve a fair bit off her first up run. She only had the one 740m trial going into it and they generally don’t win first up off those,” said Newnham.
“I was really pleased with the way she stuck to her task even though she had a tough run. She hasn’t drawn any better but I couldn’t have a more inform jockey in Blake Shinn.”
Anatola ran a brave second to Slow Burn first up
Meanwhile, Newnham is plotting a Magic Millions path for Super Ex with the colt, who broke the Randwick 1300m track record at his last outing, reappearing at the trials recently.
“He’ll have another trial in the next two weeks before heading up to Queensland for his lead up runs into the Magic Millions,” said Newnham.
Having had a runner in the Golden Slipper within a year of going out on his own, Diamond Tathagata, who will be aimed up at the early autumn, Newnham is giving himself every chance again this season and approximates that of his team of 80, 50 are currently in work and 30 of them are two-year-olds.
TAB Fixed Odds have assessed Star Sensation a $3.20 chance while there has already been early support for Anatola with her price shortening from $6 to $5.
Check out the fields, form and replays for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.