The Run To The Rose meeting will be held at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday (9th Sept). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with light showers in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Rosehill will border on Good/Soft condition on raceday.
Nash Rawiller has been riding well for the Matthew Dunn stable lately and they could combine to win another Highway Handicap with Take The Kitty at Rosehill (Sydney Race 2, 1400m). The 4YO has a good campaign with two wins, a 2nd and a 3rd from five starts. This gelding did a good job over this track and trip last start when he was only beaten a head by Melody Again. He’s rock hard fit being 6th up and has drawn beautifully in barrier 5. Nash will settle somewhere mid-field and Take The Kitty will let down strongly in the straight.
The unbeaten Libertad can continue his winning streak by taking out the Run To The Rose (Sydney Race 8, 1200m). The Annabel Neasham-trained 3YO won both his starts in the autumn and he was dominant winning the San Domenico Stakes first up. He will strip fitter and is ready to step up to 1200m. Chad Schofield knows the horse well and from the nice gate (3), Schofield will sit just behind the leaders and Libertad is the one they have to catch.
The Waller-trained Madame Pommery resumed with a nose 2nd over 1400m here at Rosehill four weeks ago and she could go one better in the Theo Marks Stakes (Sydney Race 9, 1300m). The 4YO mare likes Rosehill with a win and two placings at the venue and she also has pretty good second-up record. Dropping back to 1300m with four weeks between runs should be ideal. Dylan Gibbons will drop back in the field from gate 1 and with the leaders of the race all having drawn wide, the pace will be right on from the start and that will set the race up for Madame Pommery.
By Owens Wong
