The Golden Slipper meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday and with heavy showers forecast for Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill will certainly be racing on a Heavy track on raceday.
Kris Lees-trained British import Collide looks to have conditions to suit in the Manion Cup (Sydney Race 2, 2400m). The Frankel stallion had won 6 times in Europe ranging from 1800m to 2800m before he came to Australia. And Collide won four times from seven attempts in the wet. First local start two weeks ago in the Randwick City Stakes (2000m), the 6YO finished a creditable 3rd to the promising Mount Popa. Stepping up to 2400m will really suit and he has only been allotted with 54.5kg. Jason Collett will settle just behind the leading bunch from gate 3 with a cosy run and Collide looks the one to beat.
Randwick Guineas runner-up Mo’unga had put in an eye-catching run in that Group 1 race and he has tipped himself for Saturday’s Rosehill Guineas (Sydney Race 5, 2000m). The 3YO colt had shown his potential last Spring by taking out the Dulcify Quality in only his 3rd race start. This campaign, Mo’unga resumed with a good 3rd to Tagaloa in the C.S.Hayes Stakes before his slashing run in the Randwick Guineas, sprinting the fastest last 200m in 11.38secs . And Mo’unga won his only start on a Heavy (10) surface with ease. Tommy Berry will settle in the second half of the field and watch Mo’unga let down strongly in the straight.
Four Moves Ahead seems to have more upsides than the other favourite runners in the Golden Slipper (Sydney Race 7, 1200m). The John Sargent-trained filly won on debut on 2nd January over 1150m on a Heavy 8 track. She was scheduled to run in the Silver Slipper but she knocked her knee in the stable box and was withdrawn 48 hours before the race. Four Moves Ahead instead started in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) on 27th February but she was clearly underdone due to the setback. Yet the filly was still good enough to sprint the second fastest last 200m (12 secs) of the race and won easily. Four Moves Ahead would have so much improvement left in her and with the three weeks between runs, she should be spot on for the Slipper. Nash Rawiller will settle her somewhere mid-field and she will be powering home down the Rosehill straight.
By Owens Wong, Editor
