The Hill Stakes meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday (12th Oct). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with mainly fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
The I Am Invincible colt Anode is coming back in class from the Group 1 Golden Rose to the Tapp_Craig on Saturday (Sydney Race 6, 1400m). The 3YO resumed with a close 2nd to star colt Traffic Warden before finishing 8th over this track & trip in the Golden Rose. He likes Rosehill with three 2nds from four starts and the drop in class will suit. Tim Clark retains the ride and he will go to the front from a wide gate to lead at his own pace and Anode is the one they all have to catch.
Stepping up in trip in the Hill Stakes will certainly suit Royal Patronage (Rosehill Race 7, 1900m). Team Waterhouse-Bott-trained import won the Tramway Stakes in his Australian debut five weeks ago before a close 3rd in the 7 Stakes behind Fangirl. And the 6YO is backing up from an eye-catching 3rd in the Epsom Handicap last week, beaten just two lengths by Ceolwulf. He’s rock hard fit being fourth-up on Saturday and is ready to run out a strong 1900m. Tim Clark will settle just off the leaders with a cosy run and Royal Patronage will show his class in the run home.
The very consistent Punch Lane can take out the Alan Brown Stakes (Sydney Race 8, 1400m). The Listed Glasshouse winner during the Brisbane winter carnival, has come back in good order beaten only 2.7 lengths first-up in the Theo Marks Stakes before a close 2nd in the Shannon Quality two weeks ago. The 5YO has a mighty record over 1400m with three wins and two placings from six attempts at the trip and he’s only been allotted with 54.5kg. Kyle Wilson-Taylor will go forward and sit one off one back and Punch Lane will be running home strongly down the Rosehill straight.
By Owens Wong
