2018 Hobartville Stakes Day has drawn nine talent-rich fields to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and four races boast black type status. The Rosehill Gardens track is rated a ‘Good 4’ leading into 2018 Hobartville Stakes Day and the rail will be set out 6 metres around the entire course.
Twelve country horses remain in contention for Saturday’s Highway Handicap, which will be contest under sprint conditions. Try A Lil Harder ($3.30) was unable to continue her winning run of form when third in a Highway race a fortnight ago, but she is better than anything in this field and should be able to post her third win this time in. The Statue Of Liberty mare will be able to take up the running from barrier 2 and will give them something to chase. Golden Legacy ($5.50) is chasing a third-consecutive race win here and has the notable advantage of Hugh Bowman in the saddle. The Northern Meteor gelding clearly faces a step up in class from his two wins at Tamworth and Gunnedah, but he looms as the biggest danger to Try A Lil Harder.
A smart field will step out in the second race on Hobartville Stakes Day, including several exciting Autumn Carnival prospects that are resuming. Alward was terrific for Chris Waller last time in and is set to jump at double-figure odds in this race (currently $13). The Aqlaam gelding won four of his nine starts through winter and spring and has trialled fairly leading into this. Topweight Show A Star ($3.10) has found outstanding form this time in and is seeking a third-consecutive win in this race. The Excites gelding was taken to the lead in each of his two most-recent starts and hit the line well, but he will have to cross the field from the outside barrier on Saturday. Nat King Cu ($8.50) has been racing extremely well again this time and there is no reason why he can’t go close again on Saturday. Having saluted at $21 first-up on Australia Day, the King Cugat gelding worked home well to finish second over 1550m at Canterbury a fortnight ago.
Only seven juveniles will contest the Silver Slipper this year, but the depth of talent confirmed is outstanding and nearly every horse remains a live chance. On her performances to date, Sunlight ($2.70) has to be the filly to beat in this field and she will have her first run since comfortably taking out the Magic Million 2YO Classic (1200m) in early January. The Zoustar filly also won two minor sprints with complete ease leading into the Magic Millions and won’t have an issue finding a position on-pace from barrier 4, particularly in this small field. Gongs ($4.60) is another horse that is currently featured towards the top of Golden Slipper betting and can continue her impressive unbeaten form in the Silver Slipper. The daughter of Dawn Approach was dominant in two minors sprints through November and December, but faces a clear step up in class into the Silver Slipper field.
Half the field for the fourth will be resuming on Saturday and it is a tough race to analyse from a betting perspective. Of the horses who have a run or two under their belt this time, Acqume ($7.50) appears to be the value. The Sepoy filly mustered a smart turn of foot to finish within a length of She Will Reign in the Inglis Sprint (1100m) first-up and will only improve off the run. Corey Brown can take a position behind the pace from a wider draw and with even luck, will be tough to hold out. Resuming Godolphin pair Trekking ($4.20) and Marsupial ($4.80) have both gained plenty of attention and occupy the top two lines of betting. Both typically come to hand quickly and have each been gelded leading into this race.
The Millie Fox Stakes is one of the most open fields of the card on Hobartville Stakes Day as several previous winners at the highest level step out. Egg Tart ($6.50) didn’t come up in the spring, but the daughter of Sebring has reportedly relished her time away from racing and represents great value in this market. Egg Tart ended her autumn and winter prep last year with consecutive wins in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) and resumed for second behind deploy in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m), in what was her only competitive performance last campaign. Stable mate Foxplay ($4.70) went within a whisker of upsetting Winx first-up in spring and she will be extremely difficult to beat here. The Group 1 winner is one of the toughest horses currently in work and could enjoy the run of the race from gate 3 on Saturday and with Hugh Bowman in the saddle. Daysee Doom ($6.50) simply does not know how to run a bad race and she is also worth consideration at current Millie Fox Stakes odds. The Domesday mare is generally at her best around the Rosehill course and won the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m) here in spring.
A step on the path towards the Sydney Cup, the Parramatta Cup will see eleven horses go around on Saturday afternoon. This is another extremely open field and it would not be too much of a shock if something at odds was to find the winning post. Singing is seeking a fourth-consecutive win in this race and probably deserves his $3 favouritism and he’ll give them something to chase from an inside draw. Supply And Demand ($4.40) has continued to produced consistent results this time in, but is yet to return to winning form and faces no easier task here. With greater targets in mind, I’m happy to watch this lot go around and hopefully find a better prospect for the next staying target.
This is one of the strongest editions of the Hobartville Stakes in recent memory and it is set to be an outstanding contest between some of the country’s best three-year-olds. Kementari ($2.35) absolutely bolted in to win the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) first-up a fortnight ago and he has to be the horse to beat here. The son of Lonhro is a multiple Group 1 prospect for Godolphin this time and will only improve from his first run and stepping out in trip here. He will take a position behind the pace from his wide draw and if he musters his big turn of foot, will be extremely difficult to hold out. Magic Millions 3YO winner Pierata ($7) will resume in this race and is probably the value in the field. The Pierro colt gave nothing else a chance on the Gold Coast, but this is a clear step up in class and he’ll need to find some of his best. Siege Of Quebec ($11) was well beaten by Kementari last start, but is a horse that gives his all every time he steps out and looks to be over the odds here, while Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist ($3.80) is a threat every time he races and can finish over the top of his rivals with even luck. I’m going to be taking Kementari to win, but will also have an each-way look at Pierata at current odds. CLICK HERE for our full Hobartville Stakes odds and betting update
At the time of publish, this race is set at $6 the field and there is subsequently value for everything towards the top of betting. Bonny O’reilly ($13) was only fair to the line when sixth in the Breeders’ Classic first-up, but she is a lot better than that performance suggests. The O’reilly mare has been charged with carrying a big weight here, but with improvement she should still find herself in the finish of this race. Fickle Folly ($6) and Hieroglyphics ($9) ran the quinella in a BM95 race over 1000m at Warwick Farm a fortnight ago and while the former was a pretty easy winner, it was the latter’s run that was probably more eye-catching and she is worth consideration again over further here. Hieroglyphics was caught wide, but produced an impressive sprint to fly home late and will have taken plenty of improvement from the hit-out. Memes ($7) will appreciate the step back in class here and has the benefit of in-form hoop Rachael King in the saddle again. The daughter of Time Thief finished fourth in the Breeders’ Classic last time and is rock-hard fit ahead of her fourth-up target here.
A capacity field has been taken for the final race on Hobartville Stakes Day and it looms as a great opportunity to find a bit of late value. There’s already been plenty of interest for the resuming Up ‘N’ Rolling ($9 into $7) and it is not hard to see why. The Castledale gelding resumed for consecutive wins in a part of Sydney minors in spring and has the benefit of a credible trial at Rosehill on February 5th. Godolphin gelding Bratislava ($3.80) is four weeks between runs heading into this race and should find a position on pace with relative ease here. The son of Medaglia D’Oro has been a slight drifter, but will be tough to run down in the final straight on Saturday.