From David Pfieffer
Horse: Vegas Raider
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, Bisley Workwear Hcp) Vegas Raider is a work in progress. He’s just got to learn his trade a little bit better, he can over race at times. The gate (8) looks like it will work in favour and the faster they go the more it will bring him into the race. I had him in at the Kenso (on Wednesday) and it was probably a good race for him but I was a bit concerned going into the race with 61.5kg so I decided to wait for Saturday.
Horse: Soami
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, Ranvet Hcp) On the back-up after an eye-catching 5th in last week’s Midway, beaten one length and the six-year-old will get his chance. The poor horse has had a couple of bad gates and had no luck his last two starts. He’s always been a very honest galloper, although he hasn’t won for a while. If you go through his last preparation all his runs were good, he just wasn’t in the winner’s circle.
From Matthew Dunn
Horse: Goomeri
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 3, Highway Hcp) Goomeri has been an impressive winner of his only two starts, streeting his rivals by more than 4-1/2 lengths on debut at Port Macquarie then comfortably accounting for a class two field at Murwillumbah. He’s really progressive. It’s hard enough to go from a maiden win to a class one, let alone straight to a class two and there was a little bit of form in that race. He didn’t just fall over the line and get it done, he ran away from them again late. He’s a really nice horse and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets to a much better level than this before he finishes his career. Goomeri has drawn barrier 16 and while far from ideal, I believe he can overcome it. He worked pretty hard both his runs and was still really strong late. I’m not frightened to chew a bit of petrol early because you know he’ll still give you what you need late in the race as well.
From Gary Portelli
Horse: Flying Trapeze
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 1, Agency Real Estate Handicap) For us he’s always shown plenty hence starting him in the races I did early on. He showed above average ability but hadn’t worked it out. He came back a lot stronger and he’s gone from winning a maiden at Kembla to a stakes placing. He’s just a nice horse, I don’t think he’s at this point anywhere near fully furnished. It’s good to see him start to put it together. I’m confident but I wonder whether going back to 1400m is a question mark. The jock said he was at his top most of the way and that’s probably what told late over the 1500m. If they go out quick again it’ll be interesting to see how he travels. I was hoping there would be a mile two-year-old race for him but the JJ Atkins came up too quick and I didn’t want to back him up.
Horse: Ringarosa
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, Fujitsu Airstage Hcp) I’m filthy she drew a bad gate (13) because if she drew soft she’d be able to take up a more forward position like midfield. The way she worked on Tuesday she’s very sharp. She can come from behind and by her race we’ll see whether backmarkers can come into it. We’ve got the right man (Jason Collett) for the job to ride a horse like that. If she can relax out the back and the tempo has been solid she should be able to hit the line strong.
Horse: Walkin’talkin’
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, Ranvet Hcp) Hard to get a guide on his first run because the track was leaderish. He looked disappointing but I think over 1200m drawn soft he can take up a better position and I think he can run well.
From Team Snowden
Horse: Touristic
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 4, Racing For Good On July 29 Hcp) The way the gelding’s race panned out at Warwick Farm last start didn’t suit his style but he still battled on to run 4th over a mile. I just think he was ridden a touch close the other day and it sort of took away his finish. Off that good draw (gate 2) we can be, not conservative, a little more relaxed in our manner of where we need to have him off that good draw. Gelding him after last prep has been the making of him, he’s lighter on his feet and much sharper at home.
Horse: Mirra View
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, Fujitsu Airstage Hcp) She’s drawn a good gate (3) so she stalks a good speed, she likes those conditions and she gets that on Saturday. The firmness of the track is probably more of a concern than the weight. She is better with the sting out of the ground, her form suggests that, she’s in at the right time of the year but we haven’t had any rain about. She’s an honest mare, tries very hard, and she’s in a winnable race. I think it’s a bit of a carbon copy, if she can run up to her last start win she definitely holds herself in a good position to run well again
From Damien Lane
Horse: Deep Opinions
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 2, Midway Hcp) The three-year-old impressed with her dynamic third-up win and it earned her a shot at Saturday’s Midway Handicap. She would have to show she’s competitive in these next two races (Saturday and then Grafton Guineas) to go down that path (Provincial-Midway Championships). She’s going in the right direction, we don’t like to get too far ahead of ourselves but she’s one we love having in the stable. She’s a very laid back filly and has the right attitude, and she just switches off early. As long as she does that we know she’s got that turn of foot there to run good sectionals late. That’s why we pencilled in the Grafton Guineas as the main aim this prep but until these horses show you they run it then it’s a bit of an unknown. She deserves her chance in a Midway now and she gets in nice and light (54kg) and has drawn a good gate (5). One start last preparation I took her to Canterbury, she drew one and we tried to use the barrier and have her that bit handier and I think it took away from that turn of foot. We learned that day you’ve got to have her where she’s comfortable, if it’s out the back then it’s out the back. In an ideal world you’d like to see her midfield with a bit of cover and the chance to get to the outside.
Horse: Zorocat
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, Fujitsu Airstage Hcp) I thought her first trial back was really good, I think the fact she had so long out and is a big, gross, mare I was a run or two behind all the way. I was really disappointed at Gosford (second-up) but I was happy with her Rosehill run, she gave a good kick that day, and she peaked at Warwick Farm the other day and just missed. She’s up a little again in grade, barriers (gate 11) aren’t a big thing for her because she’s very sharp out of the gates, but I still think she’s improved again. She’s been one of our better horses and I’d love to win another race or two with her before she goes back to stud.
From Brett Lazzarini
Horse: Wild Chap
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, W.J. Mckell Cup) Until this preparation, his strike rate was 47 per cent – one in nearly every two starts he ran first, second or third. He has fallen victim to the handicappers but that’s no different to any horse who is consistent. He’s finding it hard this time in due to his benchmark and he’s meeting dry tracks, you put him on a wet track and he’s three or four lengths better. But he’s a lovely horse, a stable favourite. You could ride him on a piece of cotton and every time you put a saddle on him, he runs an honest race. He’s only had the one go at 2000 metres and that was in the Wagga Wagga Cup and he wasn’t discredited, he ran it out. He was unlucky the other day not to run 3rd (finishing 4th behind Mach Schnell and Zoumon over 1800m at Rosehill last start). I don’t think he would have beaten the first two, but if Robbie (Dolan) had any ounce of luck, he gets through and probably runs 3rd. He’s a funny horse, he can be off the bit two-and-a-half (furlongs) from home and he just keeps finding.
From John O’Shea
Horse: Sneaky Shark
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, Bisley Workwear Hcp) The four-year-old is healthy and sound but has been behind the eight-ball in terms of his fitness. Because he had so long out, he’s just taken a bit of time to get fit. We trialled him a couple of times and expected more of him first-up, he was disappointing. But we took him back to the trials and he trialled well so hopefully, with a nice draw (gate 5), he can acquit himself well on Saturday. He just needs to go racing now.
Horse: Benaud
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, WJ Mckell Cup) Coming back at this time of year is more about weaker grade and building some confidence. He’s had a freshen up off a pretty tough, seasoning campaign with a couple of runs at a mile-and-a-half and his Mornington Cup run was a good run in very good company. We just need him to get back to his best and bring his A-game and he’ll be competitive there Saturday. He is well weighted (56kg) at that level.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 1 – Tutta La Vita
Sydney Race 4 – Manbehindthemoney
Sydney Race 7 – Bold Mac
