The Golden Slipper meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday (18th Mar). The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with warm and sunny weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
Class 3YO Elliptical has drawn the rail and he maps well in the Rosehill Guineas (Sydney Race 4, 2000m). This Caulfield Guineas and Spring Champion Stakes runner-up has been competitive against top class oppositions like Golden Mile, Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Zaaki and Legarton and stepping up to 2000m suits the Dundeel colt. Interestingly Anthony & Sam Freedman are taking the blinkers off and putting a tongue tie on hence Elliptical would race more tractable. Mark Zahra will take the box seat from barrier 1 and Elliptical will be too strong in the run home.
Annabel Neasham-trained Learning To Fly (Sydney Race 8, 1200m) won on debut in the Widden Stakes in January before she had to overcome the outside barrier in the Inglis Millennium which she did with a withering burst, and win a dogfight with Facile to take out the Reisling Stakes at Randwick two weeks ago. This 2YO filly has all the characteristics of a Golden Slipper winner – toughness, tenacity, versatility, a good turn-of-foot and she is ready to peak fourth-up. Chad Schofield knows the horse well. Beautifully drawn in barrier 4, Schofield will settle just behind a strong pace with plenty of cover and Learning To Fly will be ready to pounce rounding the home turn.
Snitzel gelding Remarque has been in great form and he could well be the one to beat in The Galaxy (Sydney Race 9, 1100m). The 4YO did a good job chiming in with a 1000m win at Randwick two starts back and he is almost faultless over the Rosehill 1100m course winning twice from three attempts. Fitter when third-up on Saturday and stepping up to 1100m will suit. The Team Hawkes stable has been a big race specialist and champion hoop Kerrin McEvoy will ride 0.5kg overweight (52kg). With a fast pace up front, McEvoy will park somewhere mid-field and together with his light weight, Remarque is going to run over the top of this field.
By Owens Wong
