Rosehill Gardens will play host to another exciting day of racing on Saturday, highlighted by two Group 1 feature races. The Tancred Stakes (formerly The BMW) is one of the biggest staying tests of the Autumn Carnival and it has subsequently drawn a talented field, rich with names like Gailo Chop, Almandin and Single Gaze. Some of the country’s best three-year-old fillies will step out in the Vinery Stud Stakes, including Aloisia, Alizee and Bring Me Roses.
A capacity field of two-year-olds has been confirmed for The Schweppervescence and it is an interesting betting race. Spin ($4.50) ran a good race to finish third behind Written By in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago and will be tough to beat here. The son of I Am Invincible flew home to finish second in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at his only other start this time and is ready to peak in condition third-up. Godolphin colt Osorno has quickly built to the task this time and looks to be over the odds at his current price. The son of Exceed And Excel ran a credible fourth in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) on February 10th and returned from a freshen-up for second in a 1400m at Newcastle on March 9th. This is clearly a step up in class, but Hugh Bowman can find a position just behind the pace from his inside draw, before calling on the horse’s turn of foot late.
The field for the Neville Sellwood Stakes is excellent and it is subsequently one of the most open betting races on Tancred Stakes Day. At the time of publish, French import One Foot In Heaven is the $3.70 favourite and appears to have a class edge over his rivals in this field. The son of Fastnet Rock is a multiple stakes winner in Europe and has form around some of the world’s best horses. He appears to have taken well to the Australian way of going through a handful of Sydney barrier trials and he’ll be given every opportunity to perform from barrier 2 and with Hugh Bowman in the saddle. Chris Waller will launch a strong attack in this race after also including Mackintosh ($5), McCreery ($15) and Liapari ($12) in the final field. Harlow Gold ($12) threw the jockey at the barriers last weekend and looks to be over the odds here. The daughter of Tavistock worked home well to finish third in the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) first-up and will be far fitter for this, and better at the distance.
A smart field of sprinters will assemble for the Star Kingdom Stakes and there is a case to be made for nearly all fourteen horses. There is plenty of pace drawn out wide including Dothraki ($6), who saluted for us at double-figure odds a fortnight ago and can go on with the job with luck. The son of Mossman has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire race career and should find himself right in the finish of this race. Fell Swoop ($9.50) has also drawn a wide barrier for this race, but he’ll take plenty of benefit into the run after resuming for fifth in the Listed Bob Hoysted Stakes (1000m) down the Flemington straight on March 3rd. The Not A Single Doubt gelding has a class edge over most of this field and his best and with even luck in running, will be tough to hold out late.
Eight mares remain in contention for the Emancipation Stakes following the early scratching of Alizee. Daysee Doom saluted for us at $26 in the Coolmore Classic a fortnight ago and she will be extremely difficult to beat again on Saturday, though far less lucrative at $3.50 odds. The daughter of Domesday completed an ideal tune-up for the Coolmore with a smart win in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) first-up and she led from start-to-finish to claim a maiden Group 1 scalp a fortnight ago. She simply does not know how to run a bad race and she’ll be difficult to run down from the rails draw again on Saturday. Stable mate Dixie Blossoms ($3.90) ran a credible sixth in the Coolmore and looms as a major threat again, while Coolmore Classic runner-up Oregon’s Day is definitely the value in this field at a current $8.50 quote.
Fifteen three-year-olds will step out in this year’s Tulloch Stakes and there is several winning chances amongst the group. One horse that looks extremely well placed in this field is the Peter Gelagotis-trained Levendi, who will be having his first run at the Sydney way of going. Levendi was extremely disappointing in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the beginning of the month, but relished a step up in trip when second behind Cliff’s Edge in the Group 2 Alister Clarke Stakes (2040m) last time out and appears primed for a return to winning form here. Mark Zahra can find a good position in transit from barrier 6 and he looks a nice price at $5. Kiwi raider Mongolian Marshal ($3.30) looks to be the main danger and is drawn ideally with Craig Williams in the saddle. The High Chaparral gelding has won each of his two most-recent races, both over a mile, and is bred to relish the step up in trip.
Formerly known as The BMSW, the Tancred Stakes is one of the major staying tests of the Autumn Carnival and will feature nine quality horses in 2018. Gailo Chop has returned to racing in career-best form this time and at the time of publish, is the $2.70 in our lucrative Fat Odds market. As has been the pattern with his racing this time, he will take up the running and will be extremely difficult to hunt down. Melbourne Cup winner Almandin is ready to peak third-up and on class alone, could win the Tancred. The Monsun gelding finished second in the Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) first-up before a luckless run for fourth in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) last time out. CLICK HERE for a full 2018 Tancred Stakes betting preview
The Vinery Stud Stakes has drawn a typically open field of three-year-old fillies and we are set for a particularly exciting edition of the Group 1 feature race. Unforgotten ($6) flew home to win the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) a fortnight ago and is the early favourite to win. Group 1 winners Aloisia ($7.5) and Alizee ($8) will both step out and loom as winning chances again, while Bring Me Roses ($10), Luvaluva ($8) and Torvill ($21) have all found terrific form this time and would not look out of place in the winner’s stall. One filly that is worth consideration at her current $11 quote is kiwi raider DanzDanzDance, who will make her Australian debut in the Vinery. The daughter of Mastercraftsman was checked in running before finishing second in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) before running a smart third in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) three weeks ago. The New Zealand three-year-old form generally holds up extremely well in Australia and she does look over the odds at her current quote. CLICK HERE for a full 2018 Vinery Stud Stakes betting preview
Thirteen horses will attempt to gain ballot-free entry into next week’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile by winning the Prelude on Saturday. This is an extremely open field and there is plenty of quality gallopers ‘having a throw at the stumps’. Two horses that appeal at their current priced at Mister Sea Wolf ($8) and Snippets Land ($15). Mister Sea Wolf made an immediate impact upon debuting in Australia in late 2017; finishing second in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) and fifth in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m). the Amadeus Wolf gelding is sure to have taken plenty of benefit from his first-up run for second in the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket (1400m) a fortnight ago and can return to winning form here. Snippets Land has been racing in competitive form again this time and can figure at genuine each-way odds. The Snippetson gelding’s two most recent performances have heralded third placings in both the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) and Listed National Sprint (1400m) and he is another horse that will take plenty of benefit into this race.
The only non-black type race on the Tancred Stakes Day card will see twelve horses step out on the 1400m course. Osborne Bulls ($3) has been outstanding for Godolphin and this looms as his race to lose. The Street Cry gelding won four of his five starts during the winter and spring of 2017 and resumed this time for an easy win over 1200m at Randwick on March 3rd. He was only denied by poor luck in the Bert Lillye at Kembla Grange last time out and he will be extremely tough to beat from a perfect draw on Saturday.