The Golden Rose meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with Showers forecast for Sydney over the next couple of days, Rosehill will border on Soft/Heavy condition on raceday.
Good colt Gatsby’s can rise to the occasion by taking out the Heritage Stakes (Sydney Race 5, 1100m). The Waller-trained 3YO created a big impression with his debut win back in February. The ever improving Gatsby’s returned in impressive fashion when winning the Rosebud first-up before finishing 4th in the San Domenico Stakes. The Snitzel colt has strong form over 1100m winning twice from three starts at the trip. Champion hoop James McDonald retains the ride and McDonald will settle just behind the leaders and watch Gatsby’s run over the top of this field.
Semana has good second-up record and she is the one to beat in the Golden Pendant (Sydney Race 7, 1400m). This 5YO mare has been mighty consistent with three Group 1 placing in her last five starts and she put in a good run first-up in the Winx Stakes, beaten only a length by Via Sistina. She has great wet track record and the 1400m is her pet distance with four wins and three seconds from nine attempts at the trip. Up against a less competitive field on Saturday will suit. Dylan Gibbons will settle somewhere mid-field and Semana will be flying down the Rosehill straight.
The Team O’Shea & Charlton-trained Linebacker has returned in terrific order coming from last to finish 4th in the Run To The Rose two weeks ago and he is primed to take out Saturday’s Golden Rose (Sydney Race 8, 1400m). This lightly raced 3YO won his first two career starts before beaten half a length by Broadsiding in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes on a Heavy 10 track. Stepping up to 1400m will suit better and Kerrin McEvoy retains the ride. McEvoy will settle closer on Saturday just behind the leading bunch and Linebacker will be ready to pounce rounding the home turn.
By Owens Wong
