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By Brad Gray

6. Atmospheric Rock looks well set up third up out to 1500m. He continues to knock on the door in Highway Handicap company, In fact, four of his seven starts have been in Highways. The furthest away he has finished is 1.5 lengths. His turn is imminent. The four-year-old had no excuses second up out to 1400m when parking a couple of pair’s back off the speed but he was on the seven day back up after charging home into fourth first up over 1200m. Perhaps that took the zip out of his legs. It’s a more conventional two weeks between runs this week and after the two early favourites have been scratched, he hasn’t had a better chance in his seven start career to knock one of these off. Wouldn’t have to improve much to go a couple better.

Dangers: Matt Dunn has scratched Take The Kitty but he’s still a well represented. Respect the booking of Nash Rawillier on 7. Desert Mist. Like the way he chased his stablemate 3. Al Ash Lad into second four weeks ago. That was as a $2.50 favourite. He was well beaten in his three starts prior but two of them were behind Freedom Rally. This is of course considerably easier. That’s no knock on Al Ash Lad, who just kept on running having led at Murwillumbah. It’s all clicked for the five-year-old recently. Only meets Desert Mist 1kg worse off and should settle down in front of him again. 2. Stormy Witness was a surprise winner two weeks ago, winning a Highway at $31. She got into a perfect spot in a leader dominated race. The map isn’t as straightforward this week.

How To Play It: Atmospheric Rock WIN

7. Peace Officer was only beaten two lengths by Rediener last preparation before spelling. The four-year-old returned with a bang at Wyong, scoring a dominant win. Sure, he benefited from the odds on favourite Razors losing his rider but he put last start winner Memoria to the sword late. That was with Nash Rawiller in the saddle and he sticks second up in Midway company. The gelding has always teased ability all through his career, going back to his first campaign when knocking about in Group races as a two-year-old, but now the penny looks to be dropping. He has been back to the trials since his first up win and he trucked to the line behind Think It Over. Looks set to skip through the grades.

Dangers: 3. Bend The Knee was tasked with mission impossible in chasing down Body Bob at Canterbury last start with the winner breaking the 1250m track record. Sustained speed! He settled out the back and did well to run on into second. That was despite being seven weeks between runs. 2. Flying Destiny kept chasing to beat Chipper at Wyong last start. More depth here but he’s well set up out to 1300m from the soft draw. 14. Twice As Special doesn’t win out of turn but if the breaks fall her way, she always takes holding out. Held her own in better company than this last start.

How To Play It: Peace Officer WIN

8. Marquess probably beats 9. Howgoodareyou last start had things played out differently in the run. He meets her 2.5kg better off and should be able to turn the tables given a slightly better run in transit.

Dangers: Like the Just Fine form reference that 4. Tazaral brings into this and keen to see him out beyond the mile for the first time this campaign. Maps to be giving away a head start to all of his main dangers. 3. Logan Street Lion also comes through that same Just Fine race and should get his chance from the draw.

How To Play It: Marquess WIN

If 8. Royal Tribute is ever going to beat Ozzmosis, it’s with the set up on Saturday. He has a run under his belt, where he ran fast time in breaking his maiden at Hawkesbury over 1100m, and draws inside of Ozzmosis. Goes straight to the front on a dry Rosehill over 1100m. When the pair clashed back in June, Royal Tribute had to work early to cross, raced fiercely thereafter yet it was only the last 50m where Ozzmosis started to pull away. Tim Clark will bounce Royal Tribute out, take up the running and will not be easy to get past. Given how much he did wrong on debut, it was a gusty performance to get as close as he did. Throw into the mix that the Waterhouse-Bott stable are flying this season.

Dangers: That’s no knock on the talent of 4. Ozzmosis. He won two from two in his first campaign and still looks untapped. Just the one trial ahead of his return over 900m but there was a lot to like about the way he quickened. He went slow early in that heat and beat a 2000m horse in Tannhauser but it was a sharp piece of work. 2. Namesake has looked fleet-footed in his two trials back ahead of his return too. He matched motors with Think About It in the latest of those. Maps well and gets the right scenario to turn the tables on 5. Celestial Legend. 1. Barber has been scratched a couple of times by James Cummings already this spring. The barrier doesn’t make his task an easy one.

How To Play It: Royal Tribute WIN

7. Al Aabir comes through two fast races behind flying import Just Fine. The Chris Waller-trained stayer will be keen to see the back of the now Metrop favourite. What Al Aabir will also appreciate is getting out to 2400m fourth up. Have liked the way he has worked to the line in each of his three starts back. In his latest start he clocked the fastest last 200m split in the race. That’s positive as he gets out to his best trip. The five-year-old won the Winter Cup over the Rosehill 2400m back in June, making a wide looping run before getting the better of stablemate Desert Icon. Finds Joao Moreira, draws a perfect gate to camp midfield and the best may still be yet to come from him given he is so lightly-raced. Looks perfectly set up.

Dangers: 6. Athabascan was met with support at double figure odds in the Tatts Cup three weeks ago and he justified that confidence with a resounding victory. Tom Sherry got him moving into the race before the home turn and he kept finding in a powerful staying performance. 9. Verona had too much to do through that same race having settled out the back. Expect her to at least close the margin. Her win over this track and trip two starts back, albeit a big spike, was exceptional even if it was in BM78 company. 2. Desert Icon kept plugging away in the Newcastle Cup. He’s hard fit now on the eight day turnaround and typically isn’t too far away at this level.

How To Play It: Al Aabir WIN

The Sheraco Stakes is the standout form reference for this race, with Sunshine In Paris smashing the clock and booking a spot in the TAB Everest. Chris Waller had an army of chasers closing off behind the winner with 2. Espiona the pick of them. Hence why she finds herself as the early favourite. The five-year-old hasn’t got a great racing style, lacking early speed, and has a horrible manner of wanting to get her head on the side when she sprints but 1400m second up on the strength of that return sees her the horse to beat. Also thinking that Nash Rawiller having had a ride on her now, other than in a trial, is another significant piece of the puzzle. She is a mare with her quirks but none here can match her acceleration if she executes properly.

Dangers: 1. Atishu wasn’t expected to get as close as she did in the Sheraco, first up over 1200m. She was sent around a $51 chance but was charging through the line. The six-year-old produced a career peak second up last campaign, albeit out to 1600m on a soft track. There is a little question mark still over 3. Zougotcha and how well she has returned but she looks suited out to 1400m now third up and has shown more tactical speed in the past than her two stablemates. 4. Sheeza Belter has had a stable change to Annabel Neashem since last campaign. The promise of a dry track suits and her form ties in neatly to those in the market here. 5. Banana Queen jumped out of the ground to win the Tibbie at double figure odds and could find herself outside of the leader in this.

How To Play It: Espiona WIN

2. New Mandate stumbled out of the gates first up in the Tramway Stakes and it was game over after he’d gone 50m. Pericles led at walking speed in a race where the first two turning for home fought out the finish. The form through the race keeps stacking up. It produced the quinella in the Cameron at Newcastle and fourth, fifth and sixth in the WFA 7 Stakes last Saturday. New Mandate did more than enough on the clock late to overlook the fact that he beat just one runner home. With a clean getaway on the weekend he should find a spot a couple of pairs back from the leader, having drawn barrier 1. A dry track is a big tick, finds Joao Moreira and the import improved sharply to win second up last campaign.

Dangers: The knock on 7. Waterford is the early price. It was hard to miss his run in the Theo Marks Stakes behind Golden Mile. He’s even better set up out to 1500m now boasting a terrific record already over this track and trip (5:3-1-0). 5. Cross Talk should get complete control out in front which is how he likes it. Was plain first up in the Theo Marks but respect that he jumped hard in the market and did improve to win second up last preparation himself. 1. Kirwan’s Lane was sneaking home up the fence in the Theo Marks and he too has a history of improving with the run under his belt. 9. Flying Crazy needs things to fall into place given his racing style but he has knockout claims.

How To Play It: New Mandate EACH WAY

8. Encap ran fast time when winning last start. That was over this same track in trip. He was only three seconds outside of the Rosehill 1400m track record. Only two Golden Rose winners in the past twenty years have run faster time than what Encap did last start – In The Congo (2021) and Exosphere (2015). It’s never a foolproof like for like comparison but it does emphasise how slick the win if Encap was in the Ming Dynasty. The barrier is also significant for him. He showed last start that he has got tactical speed, holding a position from barrier 1. Despite doing some early work to hold that spot he still attacked the line. It’s a wide open Golden Rose this year without a standout three-year-old and Encap looks perfectly set up to take advantage of that.

Dangers: 3. Cylinder didn’t impress on the clock in the Run To The Rose but he didn’t get the chance to given the slow early sections. Love the way he quickened when he saw daylight, however. There was less than two lengths from first to eighth but putting that largely down to the shape of the race. The market has been very quick to dismiss 9. Butch Cassidy. He was only beaten half a length there and jumped single figure odds. He raced like he is wants 1400m and could even lead on Saturday. 4. King Colorado mixed it with the Group One WFA horses first up and had no luck. Freshened since. Does give the impression he’ll be better again out to the mile. Ditto 1. Militarize. Have to oppose 2. Shinzo given the set up but he’ll divide opinion.

How To Play It: Encap WIN

8. Vienna Princess should get the speed to suit and draws to get a soft run. The mare came back in flying form last campaign storming home into second first up, belting her rivals second up before being a good thing licked out to 1500m. At her subsequent start she was pipped by Brutality. She had no excuses that day but there was a gap back to third and she jumped a $3.80 chance. This race isn’t any harder yet she is considerably longer. The gamble is how much improvement she’ll take from the run but she should have some residual fitness being just 10 weeks since her last start. Was given an easy time in her one trial since then behind open class sprinters.

Dangers: 9. Chorlton Lane has hit the ground running in Australia. Just has to do it in slightly tougher company now. Was nosed out by a progressive Victorian in Rheinberg last start at Caulfield. Will give away another head start but be rattling home. No edge in his early price. 12. Toesonthenose gets the right set up to run better than his odds suggest. Gets in light, well placed out to the mile and maps to get the run of the race. Rode his luck to beat Rediener last campaign but that form reference reads well now. 11. Pereille gets out to 1400m for the first time but only has to hold his form to be competitive once more. He too is well found.

How To Play It: Vienna Princess WIN

Only In Secret and Bella Nipotina clocked a faster last 600m split across the Randwick meeting than 7. Rainbiel last start. The concern is that she missed the kick there and did similar in a trial since. Still, keep her safe at double figure odds.

Dangers: 13. Ojai comes through that same race behind Waverider Buoy. She was ridden for luck after dragging back from a wide draw but was held up for long enough to prove costly. 6. Tristate is six weeks between runs but like him back to 1100m. Both career wins have come over this trip. Just comes down to how much pressure there is early. 18. Lavish Empire would relish a fast run race.

How To Play It: Rainbiel EACH-WAY

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