Rosehill full racing tips & best bets | Saturday, September 24

Race 1: Highway Class 2 Handicap (1500m)

A massive field of 20 is set to line up in the Highway Class 2 to kick off proceedings at Rosehill and despite finishing out of the placings at Warwick Farm last time out, we are siding with Antonio Giovanni from the Brett Thompson yard. The four-year-old made up a fair bit of ground from the rear of the field last time out and did enough to suggest he would be hard to beat when he drops back in grade. Two starts back, he managed to get the better of Syrian Star at Dubbo who he meets again on Saturday, with that runner set to go around as favourite. We are getting almost three times the price for Antonio and from barrier one, Jason Collett will be able to stalk the speed throughout and when the run comes in the home straight, we expect he will be too tough to hold out.

• 2
  

  ANTONIO GIOVANNI

• 19
  

  SYRIAN STAR

• 10
  

  REBEL’S EDGE

• 8
  

  MR EIGHTY EIGHT

Race 2: Midway BM72 Handicap (1300m)

Having strung together four consecutive wins, the Kristen Buchanan-trained Oakfield Duke get his chance in town and Saturday and looks a great bet. Considering all four of his wins have come on soft ground, with the expected rain around, we have no doubt this son of Into Mischief will handle the conditions in front of him in this. Aaron Bullock has been aboard at his four previous runs and sticks on board on Saturday which is a massive bonus. From barrier 11, he will need an ounce of luck early so he does not get trapped wide, but if Oakfield Duke can find cover midfield, he has the turn of foot and winning confidence on his side that makes him hard to beat in the Midway.

• 2
  

  OAKFIELD DUKE

• 15
  

  KOTE

• 9
  

  ADIOS STEVE

• 16
  

  COOL LAD

Race 3: BM88 Handicap (1900m)

Having won two of his previous four starts, the Chris Waller-trained Wicklow comes to the Rosehill 1900m looking to turn the tables on topweight Kiss The Bride. This four-year-old gelding was seemingly a good thing beaten on September 3 over the mile when struggling to find clear air until well inside the final furlong and considering he was only beaten under a half-length when finishing fourth suggested he was one to follow wherever he went next. This will be his first go at 1900m, but considering he won at the Rosehill 1800m two starts back, it should be no issue for this Twilight Son gelding. From barrier two, James McDonald will be able to have him settled on the rail throughout and if they are afforded even luck this time around, Wicklow looks to be one of the better bets of the day.

• 6
  

  WICKLOW

• 11
  

  HAMERON

• 2
  

  ALCYONE

• 7
  

  CABOCHE

Race 4: Colin Stephen Quality (2400m)

The Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality is the first of the black-type races on Saturday afternoon and we expect the Chris Waller-trained Mohican Heights will break a long run of outs. Having not won in close to 18-months, the five-year-old gelding put the writing on the wall at Flemington last time out when finishing second behind High Emocean over 2500m. He managed to hit the front inside the final 300m, but considering he was left in front a long way from home, he was always going to be vulnerable late. From barrier three on Saturday, look for William Pike to have him camped just off the speed set by the likes of Cadre Du Noir, Herman Hesse and Fun Fact. If Pikey can have him bottled up for as long as possible, Mohican Heights has the ability to sprint past those leaders and bring up a deserved victory.

• 4
  

  MOHICAN HEIGHTS

• 1
  

  CADRE DU NOIR

• 5
  

  HERMAN HESSE

• 6
  

  RAGING BULL

Race 5: BM88 Handicap (1400m)

With two wins from three third-up runs, we anticipate the Gary Portelli-trained Arctic Thunder will build on that already impressive record this weekend. The five-year-old mare was beaten just under two-lengths in a BM100 on August 27 by Old Flame and looks set to appreciate the drop back to BM88 company on the weekend. Her early speed from the barriers is almost certain to negate the wide draw (barrier 10) and if Jason Collett can have Arctic Thunder settled outside the leader of the 1400m, we expect the Headwater mare will be too hard to gun down inside the final furlong.

• 8
  

  ARCTIC THUNDER

• 14
  

  ITA

• 15
  

  NARRATED

• 16
  

  FINEPOINT

Race 6: Heritage Stakes (1100m)

Kacy Fogden opted to scratch her three-year-old colt Best Of Bordeaux in the Golden Rose, instead opting to line him up in the Heritage Stakes. The Snitzel colt led the field up in the Group 2 Run To The Rose and was only bettered by Golden Rose favourite In Secret when going down by 1.75 lengths. He is already placed at Group 1 level and has a win at Group 2 and Group 3 in his short five-start career and if he is anywhere near his best on Saturday, he simply blows this lot away. From barrier five, James McDonald will look to run his rivals off their feet and with an uncontested lead expected, Best Of Bordeaux should be leading from barrier to box in the Heritage Stakes. Moral.

• 1
  

  BEST OF BORDEAUX

• 3
  

  SEMILLION

• 9
  

  OPAL RIDGE

• 5
  

  ECONOMICS

Race 7: Golden Pendant (1400m)

The Group 2 Golden Pendant for fillies and mares over 1400m looks to be an open affair on paper and as long as she can handle the soft going, we anticipate Jamaea to peak third-up from a spell. The four-year-old mare was the eyecatcher late on in the Theo Marks Stakes, when leaping out of the ground late to finish fourth beaten just over a half-length. The Headwater mare has only been placed once on soft going in her career, but ideally that came when first-up over 1100m in the Toy Show Quality on August 20. She produced the race best last 600m split on that occasion and if she replicates a similar performance to that over seven furlongs, Jamaea looks to be a great value play in the Golden Pendant with $11 being offered with some online betting sites.

• 3
  

  JAMAEA

• 8
  

  ESPIONA

• 2
  

  STARTANTES

• 1
  

  NIMALEE

Race 8: Golden Rose Stakes (1400m)

The Golden Rose Stakes at Group 1 level is the featured event on Saturday at Rosehill and has attracted a strong field of 16 three-year olds. Godolphin seemingly have a strong hand heading into the race with In Secret ($2.80) and Golden Mile ($6) the key players with online bookmakers. Outside of the favourites there looks to be plenty of value around for some genuine stars of this three-year-old crop.

Click here for our full preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Golden Rose Stakes

Race 9: Shannon Stakes (1500m)

Having returned in impressive fashion in BM100 company, the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Old Flame looks the one to side with in the Shannon Stakes. The four-year-old was forced to sustain a long run from the 600m over the Rosehill 1400m but did so impressively when holding off the likes of Purple Sector and Aleas. With a bit of luck that hasn’t taken too much out of the son of Invincible Spirit, because despite this being a Group 2 event, it doesn’t look to be too much harder than what he accounted for last time out. From barrier seven, if Tommy Berry can have him settled with cover in the moving line, Old Flame is armed with a decent enough turn of foot to finish over the top of some potentially vulnerable leaders. He is yet to miss the top three from three runs on soft going, which includes two wins and with a win and minor placing from two second-up runs, all things point towards another win for Old Flame.

• 11
  

  OLD FLAME

• 2
  

  ELLSBERG

• 10
  

  SURF DANCER

• 7
  

  RUSTIC STEEL

Race 10: BM78 Handicap (1100m)

Fire from the Team Hawkes barn looked to have the race shot to pieces when he lined up at this track and trip last time out when looming up inside the final furlong, before ultimately peaking on his run. The four-year-old gelding had put together consecutive wins at Sandown before finishing a half-length off Chain Of Lightning at Flemington to begin his campaign, so we expect it was just a case of him needing the run in Sydney last time out. With plenty of early speed drawn to his outside, Tommy Berry should gain a nice cart across the field from barrier 10 and as long as he does not get trapped wide, Fire has plenty of ability and looks the best way home in the last.

• 4
  

  FIRE

• 5
  

  STARMAN

• 8
  

  KIPSBAY

• 13
  

  FOX FIGHTER