It’s Golden Slipper day at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 3 on Thursday and with fine weather forecast over the next couple of days, the meeting will be held on a Good track on raceday.
The first of the 5 Group 1 races for the meeting will be the Ranvet Stakes (Sydney Race 4, 2000m). The dominant favourite here is Contributer but his odds is rather short at $2.35. At the odds of $5.00, I’m opting for ‘He’s Your Man’ who finished 3rd last start to Contributer in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) beaten only 0.7 length. Stepping up to 2000m suits He’s Your Man better than the mile & he loves the Rosehill track having won twice & placed twice from 4 attempts at the venue. Waller has given He’s Your Man an easy trial on a Heavy track 8 days ago & the gelding is cherry ripe to run out a strong 2000m on Saturday.
Golden Rose winner Hallowed Crown has been unbeaten this preparation winning the Hobartville Stakes & the Randwick Guineas and he can go on with the job by winning the Rosehill Guineas on Saturday (Rosehill Race 5, 2000m). The son of Street Sense has shown tremendous fight & toughness in his last 2 starts when seemingly under pressure in the straight. On breeding, Hallowed Crown is a grandson of Street Cry who is a Dubai World Cup winner, and he’s the son of a Kentucky Derby winner (Street Sense) from the family of Zabeel. Hence he should have no problem running out a strong 2000m. Barrier 7 should not present a problem as Hallowed Crown will drop back in the field anyway. Hallowed Crown is set to complete the Randwick-Rosehill Guineas double.
Race favourite Deep Field has drawn barrier 17 in The Galaxy (Sydney Race 6, 1100m) and that could present a real problem for the 4YO. The 3YO speedster Rubick will be racing at his home track on Saturday and has drawn nicely in barrier 4. Rubick was unlucky 1st up in the Challenge Stakes when he was kept in a pocket on the fence. The birds were flown when he finally checked off heels in the last 200m and eventually finishing 4th in the race. Second up over 1100m looks ideal and from barrier 4, Kerrin McEvoy will take Rubick forward to share the lead. And with only 53.5kg on his back, Rubick could be hard to catch.
Once again the wide gate (barrier 18, into 15 after taken out the emergencies) could really hamper the chance for the race favourite Vancouver in the Golden Slipper (Sydney Race 7, 1200m). Vancouver would have no choice but drop back in the field and I am not sure if he is strong enough to go around the field and beat them all. The Godolphin-owned colt Exosphere’s victory in the Skyline Stakes was as impressive as Vancouver in the Todman Stakes. The son of Lonhro blitzed the Skyline field by 4 lengths and seemingly with something up his sleeves. With further improvement, Exosphere emerges as the horse they all have to beat. He has drawn reasonably in barrier 10 (into barrier 8 after taken out the emergencies) and James McDonald will settle the colt just off the pace one off the fence. Watch Exosphere unleashes strongly in the straight and provides McDonald his second straight Golden Slipper victory.
By Owens Wong, Editor
