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By Ray Hickson

Pericles Makes Early Epsom Statement

The Epsom Handicap is shaping as an early spring goal for emerging Godolphin galloper after his brave first-up win in the TAB Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill.

Percles wins at Rosehill (Pic: Steve Hart)

And the market reacted to the win as he joined Kovalica at $8 with TAB in all-in betting.

Godolphin rep Darren Beadman said the famous Randwick spring mile would be an ideal race for the four-year-old after he lumped 59.5kg to down Group 1 winner Madame Pommery, with Glint Of Silver holding on for third.

“There’s some nice races over the spring carnival at Randwick. I think he has Epsom Handicap written all over him,’’ Beadman said.

“He's first-up at 1400m and he wasn’t really wound up for today. He mixed it amongst some of the best in the autumn so I think he is in for a good spring.”

Pericles, who was beaten a small margin by Lindermann in the Rosehill Guineas, sweated up during the run but nowhere near as noticeably as on Guineas day earlier this year.

James McDonald, who completed a treble with the win, positioned the gelding third in the run and while he had to withstand a late burst from Madame Pommery the win showed Beadman he has improved.

“To his credit he has nice gate speed and he’s a bit of a bold galloper so he was able to roll into that spot,’’ he said.

“I think he conserved his energy early as far as his demeanour goes so he’s gone to the next level in that department.

“If he went to pieces like he did in the Rosehill Guineas it might have told on him.”

Maher Tiz In No Rush With Budding Star Filly

Ciaron Maher will let the dust settle on Tiz Invincible’s tough win in the $200,000 Chandon Rosebud (1100m) before plotting a path through the spring.

It proved the right move from Maher and co-trainer David Eustace to tackle the Rosehill feature in preference to the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) next weekend as the filly posted her first win in a tight finish over Introducing and The Instructor.

Whether Maher believes she’s a Golden Rose prospect will likely be revealed through what race he points her toward – if she joins the Princess Series at the Furious Stakes or takes on the boys in the Run To The Rose.

“You don’t often break your maiden in stakes races, especially in a field like that,’’ Maher said.

“We had a high opinion of her well before today to do what we’ve done with her already. You can see she is going to come on a lot.

“She trialled up sharp, she’s raced pretty sharp there. She’s a proper racehorse the way she had to push out and make her own luck and still knuckle down.

“I thought the 1200m might find her out fitness wise a little bit. I do like a nice gap between the first and second (run) especially when she’s had to dig in.”

The Furious is run on September 2 at Randwick while the Run To The Rose is a week later at Rosehill. On the back of her win Tiz Invincible firmed from $51 to $26 in the Golden Rose.

Waller Warms Up Winx Stakes Hopefuls

It’ll come as no surprise to anyone that Chris Waller is set to have a strong representation in next Saturday’s $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m) with up to eight horses a chance of heading to the season’s opening Group 1.

Trainer Chris Waller

Two of the confirmed runners worked between races at Rosehill with Lindermann partnered by Melbourne-bound El Bodegon and Fangirl joined by three-year-old Lazzago.

Waller, who has won the Winx stakes six times including three with the champ herself, said Lindermann (Hugh Bowman), Fangirl (James McDonald), Francesco Guardi (Jay Ford), Hinged (Kerrin McEvoy), Osipenko (Brenton Avdulla) and Princess Grace (Brett Prebble) will almost certainly run while Montefilia and Going Global are possibles.

Fangirl is early favourite for the Winx at $4 with TAB and Waller said he hopes the combination of a dry track and the retirement of Anamoe can see her get back into the winner’s stall.

The five-year-old hasn’t won since her Group 1 Vinery Stakes victory at Newcastle in March last year but was runner-up to Anamoe in the Winx among three Group 1 placings last season plus her narrow defeat in the Golden Eagle.

Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann had a stronger gallop with El Bodegon, clocking 1:02.85 for the 1000m, and it told Waller he’ll be very competitive at his weight-for-age debut.

“I didn’t think they were going that quick but they ran 1:02 which is good 1000m time,’’ he said.

“They breezed up nicely in the straight. Who knows how far they get (in the spring) but Lindermann won’t be far away on Saturday.”

Lazzago is likely to take her place in the first leg of the Darley Princess Series, the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) next weekend.

Portelli Pleased To See Fireburn Fired Up

A change of trackwork rider appears to have transformed 2022 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn from a lazy lass into something of a firecracker and trainer Gary Portelli hopes it’s a good sign for the spring.

While her half-brother Kintyre staged an upset in the Inglis Pink Bonus Handicap (1300m) to earn him a path toward the $2 million Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in October, conversation turned to Portelli’s stable star’s progress.

Kintyre wins at Rosehill (Pic: Steve Hart).

Portelli said Fireburn, who won the Doomben Roses back in May, has been paired up with leading picnic rider Leandro Ribeiro in the mornings and it seems they are getting on famously.

“She was too lazy before, we had good riders on before but they were relaxed and he’s been making her go,’’ Portelli said.

“She broke 11 seconds for the last furlong on the polytrack (Saturday morning). She wouldn’t have broken 13 in the days leading up to the Slipper.”

Fireburn will trial at Warwick Farm on Friday then Portelli will work out what the wish list is for the spring, wary we could be facing a dry few months ahead.

“We want to see how she trials next Friday to work out where her fitness is and whether we give her two trials,’’ he said.

“I don’t want to put anything in stone yet.”

As for Kintyre, Portelli was rapt with the gelding’s win at his second run from a spell where he clocked the fastest last 600m of 34.00 (Punter’s Intelligence) to beat Rockabilly Rebel and the unlucky favourite Caballus.

Portelli suggested he’ll likely follow the traditional road to the Spring Champion.

"I wanted to see that today because we’re dreaming if he couldn’t keep up with these horses,’’ he said.

"We’ll sit down and work out a program now, we wanted to see if we are on the right path or if we go back to Goulburn.”

Caballus was slowly away and trainer Chris Waller said that proved costly as he was strung up for runs at a vital stage but simply ran out of time once he finally got to the outside.

The colt posted the race’s fastest last 200m of 11.37 and was beaten under half a length.

Check out the replays and results from Rosehill Gardens