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By Brad Gray
At Rosehill Gardens

McDonald Compares Accession To Tassort
James McDonald was nearly lost for words when asked about the dominant win of Accession in the opener at Rosehill Gardens.

James McDonald in blissful isolation with Accession (Pic: Steve Hart)

“He is an absolute rocket,” McDonald gushed, “There are two two-year-olds I’ve had like that. Tassort did exactly the same. He shouldn’t have done that, it was very good.”

“What I loved about him is from the 400 to the winning post there was no peak, he just kept building. He is push button and a natural runner.”

Punters Intelligence says exactly that with the son of Brazen Beau clocking 11.02 and 11.27 for his last two 200m splits. His last 400m was 3.5L superior to the next best in the race (Avon River).

TAB reacted by shortening the Chris Waller-trained colt from $8 into $4.50 equal favourite for the $2m Inglis Millennium (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 9.

Igniting was backed into race favourite but is looking for a break now according to jockey Michael Walker.

“He is just not there mentally yet. He was on the wrong leg, he was wobbling and wanted to run out away from the leader, as soon as I got him to come back to me he just dropped the bit completely and wouldn’t travel. He’ll be right, just not yet,” said Walker.

All Not Lost For Ljungberg
It was ‘Bookies Recognition’ day at Rosehill on Saturday and the satchel swingers would have been most pleased with $1.65 hot pot Ljungberg being rolled, after travelling wide throughout.

Kerrin McEvoy (Pic: Bradley Photos)

“It was obviously a case of us getting caught on the edge of the group and there wasn’t much pace, said Kerrin McEvoy, “It turned into a bit of a dash home. I travelled well and picked up well but he got outpaced when they first went. He got going again the last bit.”

Punters Intelligence reveals he covered 1311.4m in the run compared to the 1306.9m of the winner Vegadaze. The app also highlights how slowly they went in the race with a 44.25s first 700m some 10 lengths slower than the average for 1300m races at Rosehill.

On the winner, which could be the last winner of the Anthony and Edward Cumming partnership before Ed goes out on his own, jockey Tim Clark was suitably impressed.

“He was a bit aggressive early and was like that on Tuesday morning when I worked him, he wanted to get on with it. Once he got to the front he relaxed really well and he gave a good strong kick when he was challenged,” Clark said.

Par Performance For Paret
Resuming four-year-old Paret, back from a bleeding ban, got the tick of approval from Glyn Schofield having run third behind Bon Amis.

Punters Intelligence reveals the race was run very slowly in the early stages which explains the 32.87s last 600m Bon Amis had to run to win the race. Paret was disappointed for a run from the 400-200m, but still recorded 33.09s.

“He still had his foot on the gas but over that trip he was comfortable and he let down nicely,” said Schofield, “They were obviously too sharp for him today but it was a good performance.”

The Jason Deamer-trained Bon Amis took his record to seven wins from 15 starts, and it was his fight that pleased Kerrin McEvoy.

“It was a bit of a dash home but he showed good tenacity to keep kicking,” said McEvoy, “I thought I had him at the furlong and then Corey’s (Jungelized) fought back but he toughed it out well and has a good winning attitude.”

Deamer, who scratched Bon Amis from the Listed Takeover Target Stakes on Thursday, could now look to tackle another stakes race with the five-year-old.

“He has had four runs in this time and he is the best horse we’ve got so we’ll look after him,” said Deamer.

Bon Amis and Paret in the yard at @rosehillgardens and punters expect them to finish this way too.

Bon Amis $2.20 with @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/8XjLwuFNW6

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) January 19, 2019

No Extra Mile For D'argento 
The physical development D'argento has made from the spring has convinced Chris Waller that the four-year-old is a miler.

D'argento trials next week (Pic: Steve Hart)

"He has thickened up into a miler, not a stayer so the 1400m and a mile will suit," Waller said.

The grey will trial on Tuesday at Warwick Farm against Avilius, Lanciato and stablemate Fiesta ahead of a possible first up run in the G2 Apollo Stakes against Winx on February 16.

"He is a colt and we want to try to build his record so it's whether he goes into an Orr Stakes or stays up here and runs into another good horse in the stable, they are the options," said Waller, "We'll see how he comes back."

Last autumn D'argento ran a slashing fourth in the Doncaster Mile as a three-year-old behind Happy Clapper, and although the $3m feature is again in Waller's thoughts, there are more immediate targets.

"I like to have two cracks at the autumn, if you set them for a Doncaster and you miss you out, you've also missed out on the early part," he said.

Among others, Waller also has Egg Tart, the unbeaten Girl Tuesday and new acquisition New Zealand filly Melt trialling on Tuesday.

Check out all of the results and replays for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.