We’ll be offered a glimpse into some of Sydney’s most lucrative upcoming races on this Saturday’s 10-race card at Rosehill.
The Golden Slipper market is set for a shake up with a small but talented field engaged in the Silver Slipper, while the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes shapes as a key lead up race looking ahead to the $1 million Randwick Guineas in two weeks’ time.
With the track rated a Heavy 8 at time of writing, wet weather on Thursday and Friday could make this a difficult meeting to navigate for punters.
For our thoughts on every race, check out our 2024 Silver Slipper Stakes Day Preview here!
A wet track could prove key to the chances of Decadent Tale with a few runs under her belt.
The Kermadec mare was strong to the line at Randwick out to the mile a fortnight ago, the second time she’s found the money from four attempts this prep.
She’s drawn a similar assignment from barrier 7 on this occasion and should be aided by a potentially soft track under foot.
Getting back slightly in trip, this looks a winnable race after finding a couple of excuses last start.
Belvedere Boys is a Queensland-based sprinter making just his second start in Sydney.
The Matthew Dunn-trained son of Maurice turned in a pleasing effort at Randwick two weeks ago over 1200m, letting down with a big run to find the line late along the inside for fourth.
He had a bit of work to do weaving his way through traffic and probably would have gone closer if he wasn’t checked at the top of the straight.
The wide barrier leaves Nash Rawiller with some important decisions to make, but with the right run off the speed, the pair should measure up nicely.
Shadows Of Love has been given a good break between runs after coming off second-best to Lekvarte over further.
The Dissident mare had nothing but clear air in front of her rounding the turn, simply failing to match the turn of foot of the subsequent Group 3 winner – who now returns in the Millie Fox Stakes later on the program.
Kim Waugh’s four-year-old won her maiden first-up nearly a year ago and is also suited to a wet track if the rain does fall.
With some luck from the gate and a recent trial win under her belt, she might be over the odds.
Good race here with the top two chances coming from the Waterhouse/Bott yard.
Both Espionage and Straight Charge quinellaed the Breeders Plate on debut back in September, but I think I’m siding with the latter after leading all the way to gap Erno’s Cube by over 3.5 lengths at Randwick in December.
Like his stablemate, the son of Written By has come out and won a recent trial, leading all the way to punch clear with real authority under Tim Clark.
If the track rates anywhere in the soft range, he might have the upper hand in this year’s Silver Slipper Stakes.
Diamil does look suited by the conditions if it’s wet enough come race day.
John O’Shea’s stayer looked in need of the run fresh over the mile at Randwick a couple of weeks ago, but that’s not to say he was disgraced chasing hard off a wide run to finish third.
He’s mixed his form here at Rosehill but did run a place in a Group 3 over much shorter just over a year ago.
James McDonald jumping back into the irons is a change worth noting, and if the rain does come, I think we’ll see the price shorten significantly.
Hard to get away from Marquess here second-up from a spell.
James Cummings sent him out over the mile fresh at Randwick a couple of weeks ago, a trip that always looked a query despite charging the line late to finish runner-up behind the in-form Amor Victorious.
Three wins from five starts last time in work makes for very easy reading, not to mention the step back to 1400m being an obvious plus.
In well with the claim and likely to lap a potentially heavy track, he just needs luck from the gate to be winning.
Zougotcha is a Group 1 winning mare that might prove a class above some of these in the Millie Fox Stakes field.
Chris Waller’s four-year-old failed to fire a shot during a very brief spring campaign, but she does look ready to run a nice race back on her home track with James McDonald returning to the saddle.
Her work at the trials hasn’t been anything to rave about, but that was also the case leading into her prep this time last year where she went on tow in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes by close to a length.
The blinkers come off for the first time and from a nice low draw with good wet track form, she ticks some important boxes.
Encap comes out of the same race as Tom Kitten and Celestial Legend where he was arguably the strongest to the line.
Gary Portelli’s three-year-old struggled to find a lane at the top of the straight, only bursting clear over the final 100m where he charged late for third.
Rosehill has been a happy hunting ground for the son of Capitalist, running a narrow second to Militarize in the Golden Rose during the spring.
He’s got a tricky gate to contend with in the Hobartville Stakes field, but if he can get across early and stalk the speed, he’ll be in with every chance.
Renosu had a couple of things against him fresh at Randwick two weeks ago, getting away a little awkwardly and racing wide up on the speed in the early going.
He stuck to the task well to finish a very narrow fourth to Brudenell, a run he can only improve on out over further with Zac Lloyd’s claim put to good use.
The son of Exceed and Excel won’t want it too wet, but some cut out of the ground should strengthen his claims with another forward showing expected.
High Blue Sea deserves a mulligan coming off a forgive effort over 1400m at Randwick last month.
The lightly-raced four-year-old was held up badly right up until the 100m mark, only unwinding with his run when the race was basically over.
His previous win over the track and distance first-up showed exactly what he’s capable of, and if by some chance the track isn’t too wet by this point in the day, we could see a repeat effort.