Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer John O’Shea is following the plan set by Kiwi galloper Wewillrock’s former trainer by throwing him into stakes company at Randwick on Saturday and he’s buoyed by the market telling him it’s the right move.

Trainer John O'Shea (Pic: Steve Hart)

The four-year-old made a promising local debut at Rosehill three weeks ago when he carried a big weight and was run down in the shadows by Devil’s Throat, with Robusto in third, in a 1200m Benchmark 78 race.

He was housed with O’Shea going into that run and previous trainer Guy Lowry suggested the Listed $160,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) was a good target for him.

“This is where Guy wanted to run him, so we said that’s fine we’ll prepare him to run,’’ O’Shea said.

“My first thoughts were that the race may have been a little difficult for him in terms of class but the market would disagree with my assessment.”

Wewillrock was supported into $3.90 favourite with TAB on Friday likely on the back of a draw that will see him prominent in the run, dropping from 60.5kg to 53kg and both the first and third horses from his Australian debut subsequently winning.

“It’s been a good form race and he did carry a bunch of weight on the day,’’ O’Shea said.

“He’s settled in nicely here, the staff are happy with him and he’s a happy horse.

“It’s a big drop in weight for him and he should replicate his form.”

The market also tells O’Shea that consistent galloper Pizarro is in the right race when he heads to the TAB Handicap (1300m) after a close second to Conscript, one of the Bob Charley AO favourites, two weeks ago.

It was a run that pleased O’Shea given he doesn’t see the gelding as an 1100m horse. He said barrier one could pose a problem but is backing jockey Tom Sherry to find the right part of the track.

“It’s not an ideal progression going to 1300m but it’s the right race and again the market respects his performance the other day,’’ he said.

“It looks a race with genuine tempo so it will give him an opportunity to smoke his pipe out the back and come at them late.

“The other day you wanted to be coming down the centre of the track. Tom will ride him well and he will give a good account.”

Just three starts ago Pizarro, $4.40 with TAB on Friday, bumped into Stradbroke favourite Think About It in a 1300m event at Randwick and was only beaten half a length.

A relatively dry surface has the Randwick trainer hopeful I Am Lethal can find his best form in the 50 Year And Life Member Handicap (1200m).

The gelding has trialled twice and hit the line strongly in the latest behind Aft Cabin so O’Shea said he can only expect a positive return.

Wewillrock runs second at Rosehill on May 20

“We’ve been very happy with him and last preparation he started on a bunch of wet tracks and didn’t have a lot go his way,’’ he said.

“This time he’s had the two nice trials on dry tracks and looks like getting a suitable track on Saturday so we’re expecting a good performance.”

O’Shea on Comme Bella Fille (race 5): “She has a good record at a mile at Randwick, she worked particularly well during the week. She’s had a seasoning run at 2000m and back to a mile suits better so we’re looking for her to put her hand up and tell us she’s back in the game.”

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