Black type racing returns to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and we are set for another outstanding nine-race card on 2018 Expressway Stakes Day.
The rail will be out 3 metres around the entire Rosehill Gardens course for Expressway Stakes Day and at the time of publish, the track is rated a ‘Good 4’.
Nine three-year-olds remain in contention for Race 1 following the early scratching of leading contender Veranillo.
Charlayne ($4.60) has only made one appearance at the races so far but is seeking to keep alive an unbeaten record and should go close again here. The Sebring filly mustered a smart turn of foot to win a Canterbury sprint and while this is clearly a step up in class, she has drawn ideally on the rails.
Problem Solver ($4.20) will also carry winning form into this race and with natural improvement, will be tough to beat. The Hinchinbrook filly broke her maiden in the best way possible at the Magic Millions and can go on with the job here, with luck from a wide draw.
Only five colts will contest this year’s Canonbury Stakes and it is shaping as Performer’s race to lose. Performer debuted for a comfortable win in the Listed Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at the end of September and remains the early favourite for this year’s Golden Slipper following two smart barrier trial wins. He should win this and win well, but there’s little value in his current $1.55 quote and I would prefer to watch with unexposed horses also stepping out for the first time.
The field for the Widden Stakes is a far-more open betting prospect than the colts & geldings’ race and there is several winning chances amongst the thirteen fillies.
The Chris Waller-trained Fiesta is yet to find winning form, but she raced well in her two career starts in spring and is a live chance of winning this. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy will take the ride from barrier 4 and should be able to find a position just behind the pace, before asking for the filly’s smart turn of foot late.
Bold Arial is an interesting horse and worth consideration once more. She failed to fire at her only career start in 2017, but will have taken benefit from the experience and has trialled well in the lead-up to this race.
Eight horses will step out in the fourth, but it appears to be a race in two between Flow and Cellarman.
Godolphin gelding Flow ($2.20) has been racing in terrific form this time and looms as the horse to beat once more here. Flow was unlucky to be checked before finishing third in a 1200m race at Randwick on December 30th, but responded with a dominant win at 1400m a fortnight ago. A drop in weight is also ideal for the four-year-old hear and he can salute again with Corey Brown in the saddle.
Consistent gelding Cellarman ($3.70) also returned to winning form last time out and can go on with the job here. The son of Mossman has been in work a long time, but continues to produce and beat a similar field to this with ease a fortnight ago.
This weekend’s Highway Handicap will be contested over 1500m and has drawn thirteen country horses. Danny O’Brien will saddle Acquittal and Kopi Luwak in this race, who gapped a similar Highway Handicap to this a fortnight ago and can do the same thing here.
Acquittal ($3.60) resumed for second in a Goulburn maiden race over 900m on December 14th before flying home for second in an 1100m Highway race on December 30th, having missed the start. Having responded in the best way possible with his comfortably win last time, the Nicconi gelding is drawn ideally and will again be ridden by Jay Ford.
Kopi Luwak ($1.90) has failed to finish worse than second through three career starts and can go on with the job here. The Snitzel gelding was found to ben harbouring soreness in the bulb of its heels after his last run, but has been treated according and is reportedly at full health. He also meets his stable mate 5.5kgs better at the weights this time and he is subsequently my Best Bet at Rosehill on Saturday.
Race 6 has drawn a pretty open field, but leaning towards the Bjorn Baker-trained Samadoubt to return to winning form here. Samadoubt has been racing in strong and consistent form this time and takes his position in this off a close-up third in a BM80 race over 1300m. He’s stepping up in weight and distance, but there doesn’t appear to be too much speed in this field and he’ll give them something to chase in the straight.
A rise in trip will suit Quick Defence, who produced a credible performance for third in a sprint first-up. The First Defence gelding is drawn well to sit behind the pace and has the right hoop for the job in Brenton Avdulla. He is worth consideration at genuine each-way odds.
I am happy to take Samadoubt to win with a small each-way saver on Quick Defence.
The field for the feature is small but impressive and will now be contested by only seven horses, following the early scratching of three-year-old Goodfella.
Global Glamour($3) clearly required the run when she faded to finish sixth in the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m), but she’ll have taken wholesale improvement from that run and is the horse to beat here. The multiple Group 1 winner also drops 4kgs into this race and is drawn ideally in barrier 3.
Addictive Nature ($3.20) is a proven first-up performer and has conditions to suit in the Expressway. The Savabeel colt is yet to finish outside the places through his four impressive career starts and has trialled extremely well in the lead-up to this.
Almost every horse in the field for the eighth is a winning chance and it is extremely difficult to analyse from a betting perspective.
This is the sort of race that Vaucluse Bay could win, but he is pretty inconsistent and has opened as the favourite here. At each-way odds, he’s worth consideration but I can’t have him as short as $3.
High Opinion ($4.40) has been racing reasonably well without returning to winning form this time and is drawn to get a dream run from barrier 5. Hunter Jack ($5.50) appears well placed here and will enjoy a step up to 2000m. The Stratum gelding will be able to find a position on pace with ease from an inside draw and should be fighting it out at the finish.
Plenty of outcomes could realistically materialise in this race and I’d prefer to watch.
The final race has drawn a smart field and given that the two favourites are resuming, there is plenty of value to be found.
Kaonic ($3.30) was outstanding during his debut preparation and he is seeking a hat-trick of wins here in his first-up run. The Savabeel colt was an easy winner over 1550m and a mile respectively in spring and while this is probably slightly short of his best, he has a class edge over this field and will carry only 53.5kgs.
Don’t Give A Damn ($4) also finished his most-recent prep with consecutive wins and can continue that run here. The Bon Hoffa gelding has produced a career total of three wins and a second from only four starts and is drawn to win form barrier 2.