The Winter Challenge meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday (30th Jul). The course proper was rated a Heavy 9 on Thursday and with mainly fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill is likely to border on Soft/Heavy condition on raceday.
Sweet Ride is well placed in the Precise Air Handicap (Sydney Race 2, 1100m). The Annabel Neasham-trained youngster had a good debut campaign having taken out the Black Opal Preview before a great 2nd in the Pago Pago Stakes on a Heavy 9 track. The 2YO colt has the benefit of two trials and he should have to fitness to run out a strong 1100m. Jean Van Overmeire knows the horse well and he will once again be on board. Van Overmeire will go forward and sit outside the lead and Sweet Ride is going to be the one they have to catch.
Yggdrasil is a last start winner over this course and the mare is looking to make it back-to-back Rosehill victories in the ATC Thank You Owners Handicap (Sydney Race 4, 1800m). The 4YO has been very consistent this campaign winning twice with a further five placings from nine starts. William Pike rode Yggdrasil to victory last start on a heavy 10 track so the anticipated wet condition will not be a problem for the mare and Pike will be on board on Saturday. With pretty good pace in the race, Pike will bide his time in mid-field before Yggdrasil unleashing strongly in the straight.
Jojo Was A Man looks a good light weight chance in the Winter Challenge (Sydney Race 8, 1500m). Jojo Was A Man has been a revelation notching three wins and an unlucky second from five starts this preparation. After winning back-to-back 1400m races at Randwick, the gelding was just nosed out by Taksu in the Winter Stakes last start. The 4YO can handle any track conditions and he has only been allotted with 53kg. The very much in-form Reece Jones knows the horse well and from the nice gate (3), Jones will settle one off one back and Jojo Was A Man will be given every chance to take out the Winter Challenge.
By Owens Wong
