Rosehill Gardens hosts a bumper 10-race card on Saturday for Winter Cup Day 2024.
We’re looking at another likely rain-affected Sydney race track with the course proper currently rated a Soft (6), and rain on the forecast threatens a downgrade.
The action is headlined by the Listed $200,000 Winter Cup (2400m) with a talented line-up of stayers engaged.
See below for our complete Winter Cup Day racing tips and Rosehill best bets for the entire program.
Goodlucktome looks well positioned in the first to break his maiden status at career start number two.
Ciaron Maher’s Written Tycoon colt had a host of nice trials ahead of his debut on May 28 when he narrowly went down on a Soft (5) behind Exceed Perfection over the 1200m at Kembla Grange.
Off to the big city now, will relish an extra furlong at the finish, gets a gun run from barrier three and comes back a half-kilo.
Any rain helps his cause following a recent Heavy track trial win here at Rosehill in mid-May.
Can break through.
Iron Man resumes off a nine-month spell and looks nice value with conditions to suit for his return.
The nicely-bred Exosphere four-year-old is Hawkesbury-based with Edward O’Rourke and has had three Rosehill runs to date for two seconds.
He is also a dual runner-up from as many starts at this distance, and from his three previous first-up runs boasts three seconds.
Bit of a perennial place-getter then with just the one win from eight starts to date, but he’s proven on Heavy going so if the rain comes, he can surprise.
Last time out was sixth of seven runners with 57kg over 1400m here last September.
Trials have been promising with two wins, the latest defeating Coco Jamboo on a bottomless course at Hawkesbury.
Rails run and 56kg also suit.
Can surprise.
We’ve an odds-on favourite in the third but think this race is far more open than the markets suggest and it has the sniff of an upset.
Going for an Each Way play on the in-form Barcelona Express who is at 25/1 at time of publish and looking way overs based on his recent runs.
This David Matts-trained Outreach gelding has a previous win at the distance and has been racing very well on wet tracks in easier grade at Taree and Armidale.
The Coffs Harbour-based four-year-old was last seen carting 59.5kg to a nearly four length win in a BM58 over 1300m at Armidale on May 28.
Likely to carry just 53kg with the apprentice claim of Bailey Wheeler putting him right in the mix for a shot at the better fancied here in his first Rosehill assignment.
Perfect Play is favourite in the fourth and Annabel Neasham’s flying Siyouni four-year-old looks the deserving top elect.
The import has a solid record at the 2000m distance (5:0-3-1) without a win and faced some nice types last prep back in the UK.
Has had two runs down under with Neasham for a first-up second at Kensington on ANZAC Day and a third last time out at Scone only a length beaten by Unusual Legacy over 1700m.
Will appreciate the extra distance now, is third-up and fit with improvement pending.
Gets the run of the race from barrier five with jockey Adam Hyeronimus coming aboard and he is riding very well.
Consistent and can win for the punters.
How Dare You looks a lovely hope to post back-to-back wins when Godolphin’s filly faces off in the fifth against a field of three and four-year-olds.
This progressive three-year-old daughter of Zoustar is out to stretch her form to 1400m after a 1300m win by three-quarters of a length with 58.5kg at Scone fresh on May 17.
She’s been kept fit with a subsequent Hawkesbury trial earlier this month on a Heavy (10) in good company.
Looks well-weighted here with 56kg for jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
Good filly, good hoop, confidence of a last start win and form in the wet.
Also has previous form around recent Group 2 Queensland Guineas winner Kintyre from earlier in her career and has won second-up previously.
Ticks all the boxes.
Miss Jennifer is one of a host of fillies and mares in the sixth with genuine winning claims as she chases a hat-trick.
She’s in sensational form with the Danny Williams-trained, Kiwi-bred daughter of Sacred Falls coming off back-to-back wins on wet going.
At her latest the bonny five-year-old, previously with Clint Lundholm, narrowly claimed a Class 3 over 1200m at Randwick in late May.
She comes back from 56.5kg that run to a likely 53kg with the apprentice claim of Baily Wheeler and gets the rails run from gate one.
Unbeaten since joining Williams, handles the going and looks the value.
Passeggiata from the stables of Bjorn Baker is a short-priced favourite in this short-distanced sprint and looks hard to bet against chasing a win third-up and fit.
Apprentice Baily Wheeler looks in for a good day at Rosehill including aboard this talented Winning Rupert mare.
The four-year-old chestnut is after her first victory since a BM78 over 1000m at Randwick in June last year.
Despite the winning drought, she’s well-backed here after back-to-back seconds at Newcastle and Randwick respectively this prep.
Building to the 1100m now which she will relish, only a length off The Black Cloud last time out and is drawn well (4).
Up in weight but looks well placed to salute for favourite backers.
Hopeful heads betting on this year’s Winter Cup field and happy to stick with the Annabel Neasham-trained stayer to return to winning form here.
The Motivator seven-year-old has previous winning form at Rosehill and is proven at the 2400m distance.
Goes really well on Soft – Heavy tracks, the wetter the better for this French-bred gelding, so watch for a downgrade to the course.
Is out to break a lengthy winning drought not having won since May of 2022 when taking out the Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on a Heavy (9) two years back.
Still, he has been competitive in plenty since including his second to Circle Of Fire in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) back in April.
Last start second in the race he won in 2022 when 1.75 lengths off Eliyass in the Lord Mayors here just last weekend.
On the quick back-up, will appreciate the 2400m, rises in weight but still a big winning hope.
Franz Josef is another favourite towards the end of the card that looks a hard to beat punters’ pick.
This in-form Snitzel three-year-old is locally-trained by Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou and has won his only previous start at the course.
The gelding has saluted in three of his four starts to date with his sole loss producing a second fresh on May 15.
Improved to win here on a Heavy (8) in a BM72 a fortnight ago with 58.5kg.
Same weight on Saturday in his bid at back-to-back wins with Kerrin McEvoy continuing associations.
Going from strength-to-strength, is fit now third-up and will appreciate rain.
Gate three draw suits.
Can handle these rivals and win again.
Sir Ravanelli is an early market mover in the card closer and it is not hard to see why.
This Terry Evans-trained Iffraaj six-year0old from Tuncurry is still at a backable price to salute again after handling a Heavy (9) in the same grade of race at Newcastle back on May 11.
Won that with 57.5kg over 1200m, has winning form up to 1400m so extra 100 here is a non-issue and even with two kilos more presents as a danger.
This is a good field for the last but think this in-form, Kiwi-bred grey can get the better of them from a mid-field draw especially if more rain arrives.