Black type racing returns to Rosehill Gardens on January Cup Day!
There are ten winners to be found on the quality program and you can find my thoughts and complete 2024 January Cup Day Tips below.
I thought that Poseidon Ruler found the line really well in a similar race here last time out and I am happy to stick with him in this week’s Midway.
The six-year-old son of Tycoon Ruler filled the minors, beaten just over a length over 1200m at Randwick two starts back, and he was simply too far off the leading when sixth at his latest.
He’s hard fit, gets some relief in the weights this week and the rise in trip should prove beneficial.
It’s a decent rise in class for her, but I’m A Steel couldn’t have been more impressive on debut, and I think she’ll be right in the finish of the Highway Handicap.
The Real Steel filly showed some promise at the trials prior to debuting and put the writing on the wall with a dominant four-length victory out at Nowra.
With improvement for that experience, from the good draw and with no weight in tow, she does look up to this.
It’s that time of year – a SECOND Highway race will be run on this weekend’s metro program in Sydney, and I thought that Acotango looked a key winning chance in this one.
Acotango finished down the order in BM85 company at Muswellbrook back in early November, but was freshened and record to action for a dominant win in a BM66 sprint at Tamworth.
He races well with his targets spaced and we can have something on each way this week.
Almost every galloper engaged in this contest brings in a very credible formline, and I’ve found it to be one of the more difficult ones to analyse from a betting perspective.
That being said, I liked what Fire Tribe did on his way to a win in weaker company at Randwick last time out and he can continue her rise through the grades.
The Contributer gelding was held up when the field turned for home, but a patient ride saw him ultimately get to the outside and mow them down with an impressive turn of foot.
He’s hard fit, drops in the weights and is drawn ideally under senior jockey Jay Ford.
She’s the most lightly raced horse in the field, but I am keen to side with Kitty Chat in the fifth at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kitty Chat debuted to racing with a nice performance to finish second, beaten just over a head by Joliestar at Warwick Farm back in June and completed an ideal return to action with an easy win at Canterbury.
This is harder, but she has big upside and looks to have a very bright future.
Lousville has only just left himself too much to do at each of his last two appearances, and he gets another great chance to win in Sydney this week.
The Redwood gelding hasn’t finished worse than second in four starts back from a break, but savaged the line from the tail of the field to finish second behind Felix Majestic two back before a similar performance behind Miracle Spin at his latest.
He’s hard fit this week, and if Sam Clipperton can settle him a little closer from Barrier 1, I think that this really is his opportunity to win strike.
A good field has been taken for this year’s January Cup, rich with genuine black type quality staying talent.
I am a big fan of Luncies, and I believe this to be the perfect race for him.
Luncies has been a great galloper for the Lees yard for a few seasons now, picking off some lovely races and performing admirably at Group 1 level.
He returned from a freshen up to finish second, beaten just over a head by a fit Lion’s Roar in the Summer Cup on Boxing Day, and I am confident that run will have brought him right on this week.
I’m with the second-up Zou Tiger in Race 8 at Rosehill on Saturday.
He clearly needed his first run back when sixth, beaten more than six lengths at Canterbury first-up this time, but that was in decent black type company, and I have little doubt that he’ll improve noticeably dropping back in class here.
He was outstanding during last year’s Autumn Carnival, and anything close to his best form sees him right into the finish of something like this.
There is some talent engaged in the penultimate race on January Cup Day, including the progressive Boston Rocks.
Boston Rocks has made just five appearances at the races since debuting but has won on three of those occasions, highlighted by a comfortable effort at Randwick first-up this time.
He won his only other second-up race to date and is drawn to receive every chance again this week under Tom Sherry.
Chris Waller has always had an opinion of Starman, and while the horse is yet to live up to the early career hype, I think he can win the last at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Zoustar gelding has saluted in three of fourteen career starts so far, and while he is yet to finish better than fifth in two starts back this time, but performances were better than the result suggested.
With further improvement this week, I think that something like this is within means.