This Saturday’s Sydney meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with hot and fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
The top weight Accession is the class horse in the opening event at Rosehill (Sydney Race 1, 1100m). The Waller-trained colt ran 2nd on his debut over this track & trip seven weeks ago before taking out the Inglis Nursery on the 15th December. Waller has given the 2YO an easy Randwick trial over735m last Friday. Drawn nicely in barrier 4, James McDonald will settle mid-field one off the fence and Accession will be too strong in the run home.
The very promising Ljungberg from the Ron Quinton yard is going to make it a hat-trick of wins on Saturday in the Doug Carroll Handicap (Sydney Race 2, 1300m). The 3YO won over 1200m when 1st up on the 14th December on a Heavy 8 track before annihilating the field over this trip at Kensington a fortnight ago. Even fitter when 3rd up on Saturday and Ljungberg can improve further with racing under his belt. In a race without much pace, Kerrin McEvoy will go forward from barrier 9 and settle just behind the leading bunch. Ljungberg is a horse on the up and he will be too good for this field.
Fresh from riding a winning triple last Saturday, the in-form Robbie Dolan can continue his hot form on Sweet Scandal in the Roger Hawke Handicap (Sydney Race 6, 1350m). After being unplaced in her first two starts this preparation, the 4YO returned to winning form last start over this trip a fortnight ago leading from start to finish. And this mare has a good record over this trip with two wins and a 2nd placing from 3 attempts. The 2kg claimed by Dolan will bring Sweet Scandal’s weight down to 58.5kg and starting from gate 2 will allow Dolan to settle on the fence just behind likely leaders Braces and The Pharoah. Dolan looks set to navigate Sweet Scandal to another Saturday metropolitan victory.
By Owens Wong, Editor
