The Festival Stakes meeting will be held at Rosehill this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday but with showers forecast for Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill is likely to be racing on a Soft track on raceday.
Lightly raced 4YO Savapinski has been in terrific form and she is primed to take out the ATC Cup (Sydney Race 6, 2000m). The Team Waterhouse-trained mare ran a good 4th in the Angst Stakes before embarking on a successful Melbourne campaign. Savapinski finished 2nd in the Tesio Stakes over the mile before she ran away with the Matriarch Stakes when stepped up to 2000m at Flemington. The mare should have no problem handling the Soft track as she had won her only start in the wet. Brenton Avdulla will once again be aboard and from barrier 7, Savapinski will go to the lead and she will be hard to catch.
Cabeza De Vaca has been unbeaten this preparation, winning both starts this campaign and he looks the horse to beat in the Festvial Stakes (Sydney Race 7, 1500m). The 6YO gelding is looking for further now so stepping up to 1500m will suit. Rachel King had put in a perfect ride last start so she keeps the mount on Saturday. In a race without much pace, King will take Cabeza De Vaca straight to the front to control the pace. Cabeza De Vaca is set to win his third race this campaign by leading from start to finish.
Team Hawkes-trained Glenall will have conditions to suit in the Starlight Stakes on Saturday (Sydney Race 8, 1100m). The now 4YO has shown tremendous potential early in his career when he finished a great 4th in the Group 1 The Galaxy over this track & distance in only his 4th career start. Glenall has matured further this preparation winning brilliantly 1st up over 1100, sprinting his last 600m in 33.96 secs. Glenall can handle any track conditions and he’s down at the limit at only 53kg. Nicely drawn in barrier 3, Avdulla will settle just behind the leaders on the fence and Glenall will be hard to hold out.
By Owens Wong, Editor
