The official start of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival is just over a week away as we look ahead to this Saturday’s Listed Rosebud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
Serving as a traditional lead up into the Group 1 Golden Rose next month, this weekend’s featured sprint race has attracted a small field with Godolphin’s Tarpaulin and the Chris Waller-trained Gatsby’s jostling for favouritism.
To help you find a few winners, we’ve run the rule over the entire 10-race card and offered our best selections!
Dawn Service looks to be an above average three-year-old worth keeping an eye on out of the Waterhouse and Bott camp.
This colt by Justify came out and won his maiden second-up at Hawkesbury a fortnight ago, leading from barrier to box for a soft win on the line by exactly four lengths.
His debut at Kensington was just as impressive, finishing third to Clear Proof and Axius, the latter going on to win his next start quite well.
This is tougher, but he’s drawn a perfect gate and should race well up on the speed with Tim Clark sticking.
Having a throw at the stumps here and siding with Cosmic Lad in a difficult Midway race.
The Edward Cummings-trained son of Adelaide was only fair to the line fresh at Newcastle a fortnight ago, but I thought he had some excuses in the run when held up at the 400m mark.
Still only lightly-raced for a four-year-old, he was quickly thrown in the deep end during the autumn, competing at Group 1 level after winning his maiden at Newcastle in February.
Needs luck from the gate, but in carrying 55kg with that maiden win coming over 1500m, he could surprise.
Lisztomania has shown plenty in two starts since resuming.
Todd Payne’s gelding was third in a similar race over 1200m at Randwick first-up, charging home late on a heavy track to finish within half a length off Clear Thinking from a wide gate.
The son of Dream Ahead adopted similar tactics back to 1100m last start when flashing home late to go within a length of Loner’s Queen, a race he was unlucky not to run a place in.
Finally drawn a soft gate and set to peak third-up, I think he’ll prove just as tough to hold out.
Tricky race to assess early on with a few potentially heading elsewhere.
Lost was outstanding first-up off a break at Warwick Farm three weeks ago, patiently finding a spot off midfield under James McDonald before powering through a late split to go on and win comfortably.
We’ve already seen this son of Exceed and Excel win over further, and although the stablemate looks equally tough to beat, I think J-Mac sticking in the irons tells you all you need to know.
Drawn barrier six, if they get back early and establish a similar position, they’ll be very hard to hold out.
Sequestered has to be considered one of the leading contenders off her first-up run.
The Pierro mare went around over 1300m at Randwick three weeks ago where she was seen driving late over the final stages to grab third in testing conditions along the outside fence.
She’s won second-up previously and is unbeaten over 1400m, while a much firmer track is obviously a big plus.
Difficult to know where she winds up from an awkward gate, but I thought she probably could have won fresh if her conditioning didn’t give way, so this does set up nicely for her with fitness on her side.
Happy to side with Gatsby’s following his trial win a couple of weeks ago here on his home track.
The colt by Snitzel was given a cozy ride just off the speed before James McDonald pushed the button 50m out from the post to see the pair race clear and finish strongly through the line.
Chris Waller’s three-year-old stamped himself as one to watch when winning on debut at Canterbury back in February over this trip, before going on to run a nice race in the Pago Pago Stakes where he was a little one-paced.
The booking of J-Mac is significant given he rode Tarpaulin last start at Randwick, and if they can find cover early from the wide gate and save something for the finish, they’ll be tough to hold out.
Terra Mater is a mare capable of running a big race fresh.
Jarrod Austin’s five-year-old has missed the money only once from four attempts first-up, and while 1200m is short of her best, she has registered a pair of wins over this trip.
The daughter of Wandjina has worked to the line solidly in two barrier trials leading in and draws to get a lovely runs off the speed from barrier three in the finish.
Tom Kitten has drawn the inside gate on return following two decent trials.
The Godolphin four-year-old was a frustrating commodity throughout the autumn, going around as favourite in races like the Randwick Guineas where he disappointed for a run.
That said, he returns a gelding now with maturity on his side, and he has proven himself capable of running a nice race fresh on his day.
Where he winds up from the inside gate is a fair question, but he rates another strong chance in a huge book of rides for J-Mac.
Monarchs Brae has been in work for a while but continues to hand in solid performances for Chris Waller.
This six-year-old Irish stayer got up to win by three-quarters of a length at Canterbury two back, before running on late for second here over 2000m back on a dry track a fortnight ago.
He’s always a threat over 1900m with three wins next to his name and rates one of the main chances with firm footing expected.
Kris Lees looks to be on to a good one with Irish import Lord Of Biscay.
The son of Lope De Vega was far from disgraced on debut here last month, overcoming some late traffic to finish middle of the pack after spotting the rest of the field a decent start.
He won nicely over 1400m back home last year and just needs to find room in running from the inside gate to play a serious part.
Back on a dry track this time, he’s open to big improvement.