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By Ray Hickson

Trainer John O’Shea has no doubt he lightly raced Rocha Clock will benefit from her resumption at Rosehill on Saturday but warns against underestimating her.

After producing middle distance performer Kirwan’s Lane to win fresh in his comfort zone earlier in the week, he says the 1400m of the Quayclean Handicap is an ideal starting point for Rocha Clock.

The talented four-year-old, a winner of four from eight, is the $6 second favourite with TAB in a market dominated by Masked Crusader who is having his first start at the trip.

“Being objective in an assessment of the race, Rocha Clock has 1400m form and there’s quite a few in the market that do not,’’ O’Shea said.

“I think she maps well, there’s an opportunity for her to find a back which is what she loves. There’s enough speed there late in the day, I’m happy with where she fits in.”

Rocha Clock won on debut and at her only other first-up appearance was thrown in the deep end in the Group 3 James Carr (1400m) in the autumn and she didn’t settle on the speed so had nothing left for the finish.

She’s won both second-up appearances and O’Shea has that in the back of his mind but says she’s come up quite well with a couple of trials under her belt.

“There’s good improvement but I’m really happy with her,’’ he said.

Rocha Clock runs third in a trial at Randwick on September 8

“She worked really well on Tuesday, she takes one run before she really hits the target but I still think she will give a good account of herself.

“If you look at her coat first-up it’s always a little bit woolly and it’s no different today. I’d suggest in terms of fitness levels she’s a little more advanced than what she’s been previously.”

The Group 3 $200,000 Precise Air Gloaming Stakes (1800m) was shaken up when plans changed for nominal favourite Mo’unga but as it happens O’Shea’s runner Lion’s Roar brings that horse’s form into the race.

Lion’s Roar’s only defeat in three starts was at the hands of Mo’unga at Newcastle in August and he proved the form by winning over a mile at Kembla Grange two weeks ago.

“We thought we had him that day too,’’ O’Shea said of the Newcastle race.

“If I’d have said to you the favourite for the Gloaming Stakes won at Goulburn at its last start (Love Tap) you wouldn’t believe me.”

O’Shea is interested to see where Lion’s Roar, $6.50 second favourite, fits in and will give jockey Tommy Berry an open book as far as how the race pans out for his charge.

“Tom and I had a chat about it and I think it is a race where I think we’ll have to jump out and see,’’ he said.

“Because there’s no defined racing pattern of a lot of the horses, whether they think they’ll be a risk at the trip and slow up or go a good gallop, we can’t know until we get into the race.”

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