Ten races are on offer at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday, August 2nd.
The rail is out 7m across the track, while the track remains a Soft 6 with fine weather forecast.
Until Valhalla never got a crack at them over the track and distance a fortnight ago when beaten two lengths by Mickey’s Medal.
Ciaron Maher’s mare was held up for a run along the inside at the top of the straight, only finding clear air late once she’d shifted out wide to run on.
The Snitzel four-year-old has been up for a while, but she has run some nice races recently, notably winning at Kensington three runs back.
Gets back on a dry track on this occasion and should be afforded a well-timed ride coming off the speed from a nice low gate.
The Extreme Cat has drawn ideally for his first look at 1400m under James McDonald.
Nathan Doyle’s lightly-raced five-year-old was back in the winner’s circle a couple of weeks ago at Hawkesbury, quickening smartly to win under hands and heels over slightly shorter after hitting top gear down the outside on a dry track.
The heavy conditions were clearly not to his liking the run prior at Randwick, while he’s also worth forgiving on that run considering he was competing off a four-week freshen-up.
Racing with confidence now, he should be very hard to hold out from barrier one as he continues his rise through the grades.
Vivy Air has changed hands from Archie Alexander’s stable and is now set to make her first appearance for Ciaron Maher.
This mare by Hellbent is the class runner in this small field, placing at Group 2 level late last year when third behind Serasana and Arkansaw Kid in the Sandown Guineas.
It’s been a while since she featured in the winner’s circle, but she did resume to contest tougher races than this during the autumn, notably running third again in the Alexandra Stakes at The Valley over the mile.
Her recent trial work has only been plain, but drawn to stalk the lead with James McDonald engaged, she’ll take beating dropping back in class.
Big watch on Intervarsity here in her first look at Saturday grade racing.
This mare by Mikki Isle really caught the eye when winning back to back starts at Muswellbrook during the spring last year by over five lengths combined.
She’s potentially got eyes for the Kosciusko this girl, and there was no knock on her recent trial win that saw her quicken along the inside to get up in her final few strides.
This is the toughest race she’s contested, but the booking of James McDonald signals real intent from the stable.
Hellavadancer ticks a few important boxes third-up over 1400m.
Kris Lees’ mare was enormous late at Randwick over this trip three weeks ago, held up briefly along the rail before shifting out and charging to run second behind Defining on a wet track.
She’s set to peak now at this stage of her prep and has won twice third-up in the past.
With three of her five wins coming over this distance, she just needs to find the right spot out of the turn to go on with it.
Unanimous should take beating here with James McDonald back in the saddle.
The pair combined to win over this trip at Kembla Grange last November, and I think this boy has been working up nicely to his preferred trip having finished inside the top five in his last three attempts.
Ciaron Maher’s seven-year-old was caught a little flat-footed around the 300m mark at Randwick a few weeks ago, but he did respond nicely to knuckle down for a distant third behind Aramco.
Back on a firmer track suits, and from the inside gate, another forward showing can be expected.
Spring Lee is back from a let-up looking to add to her outstanding fresh record that features a pair of wins from three attempts.
The four-year-old daughter of Zoustar was seen only briefly during the autumn, resuming at Canterbury to win narrowly ahead of Jewellery, a mare that has since gone on to run some very nice races since.
She wrapped up her prep runner-up in a Stakes race at Scone, form that also stands out after finishing a length off smart Godolphin mare, Commemorative.
With a decent trial between starts and Rachel King back in the saddle, she’ll be very hard to hold out in the run home.
Charterhouse looks nice odds in a open race.
Ciaron Maher’s seven-year-old hasn’t won since last November at Cranbourne, but he has been around the mark of late, finishing back to back starts in a pair of Stakes races at Eagle Farm earlier in the winter.
His latest effort saw him run third in the Winter Challenge where he was squeezed late after giving good chase over the final 300m.
It’s worth noting he was competing off a three-week break that day, so on less of a turnaround now with the blinkers back on, another improved showing could be on the cards.
Interesting set up for Contemporary jumping out an extra furlong after finishing runner-up over 1100m a couple of weeks ago.
That too was an interesting decision from Godolphin to step back in distance after winning so well over 1200m the start prior at Randwick in trying conditions.
Even so, Nash Rawiller has a really good feel for this son of Exceed and Excel, steering him into the money in all four sits.
There’s some good early speed engaged here, but if the pair sit back early and find luck in the finish, they should be thereabouts when it matters most.
Little Cointreau was scratched from last week’s final race at Randwick in favour of a longer break between runs.
Joe Pride’s four-year-old was all class on the Kensington track two weeks ago over the same trip, overcoming some interference to get up narrowly in the end after checking across heels midway down the straight.
This is a big rise in class up to Saturday grade, but capable of handling all conditions with Jay Ford piloting again from the inside gate, he looks one of the better bets to end the day.