From Kim Waugh
Horse: Conrad
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 1, Midway Hcp) I would never had run him if I thought the track was as bad as it was the other day. He pulled both front shoes off and he was very uncomfortable. He’s won on a heavy but it was another level the other day. He’s pulled up really well, he’s a bit fitter and his work has been nice so I’m happy with him.
Horse: Bethencourt
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 9, TAB Hcp) I plan to set Bethencourt for a couple of Big Dance eligible races in the coming months so the TAB Handicap is an important step along the way. He does need a run because it’s been a few weeks now. He’s drawn a bit awkward (gate 13) but he’s going very well and if he gets a nice run I think he will still go great.
Horse: Camaguey
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, Petaluma Hcp) He was disappointing in one run. I’m happy with him, he’s going well but he’s just drawn a bit sticky. If he can get across he will go well because I thought his last run was good.
Horse: Bojangles
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 11, Rosehill Bowling Club Hcp) Bojangles was runner-up to Schwarz in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas back on May 4 then didn’t have the best of luck in running 6th behind Elson Boy at Scone. We were going to go to Brisbane with him but he got a little cough so I didn’t want to do that. He’s showing a lot of ability so when everything went south when we wanted to go to Queensland for those nice three-year-old races I was just happy to get him back on track. He’s pretty clean winded, he’s pretty fit, he’s an athletic horse so I don’t think fitness would be a worry. He has a nice gate (3), normally in big fields you get nervous you’re going to draw bad, so he can be handy and be just behind the pace somewhere where he’s nice and comfortable. He’s got such a great turn of foot and I think he will end up getting over a mile.
From Jason Coyle
Horse: Zoukerino
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 1, Midway Hcp) Finishing 4th at Warwick Farm two starts ago, he filled the same position behind Flightcrew at Rosehill last time out after twice being disappointed for a run then stretching out late once clear. He will meet similar grade in Saturday’s Midway Handicap at Rosehill, and from barrier one, the horse can land an overdue win. He has been a shade unlucky as well. He should have at least been getting closer to the winner last start after being held up twice.
From Glen Milligan
Horse: Shihab
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 2, Highway Hcp) Shihad was unlucky enough to run into Know Thyself who was classes above Highway grade. We knew about Know Thyself, but we had heavy off a win at home, and the right distance while he was eligible. He ran some race from near last. You’d expect that form to hold up on heavy again and the extra distance. I’d intended to retain Josh Parr but he’s taking a break. I just took the odds, rang Aaron (Bullock) and his manager in case he didn’t have a ride in the race, thinking the form around Know Thyself had to appeal. Yep barrier one, hopefully heavy again, right jockey and distance. Can be hit and miss; blinkers on, unreliable at the barriers and his pattern is to get back and it’s a big field on heavy. But I’ve got the right bloke on to work that out.
From Bjorn Baker
Horse: Father’s Day
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 3, Stayer’s Cup) After a gallant last start 2nd over the same trip, expect Father’s Day to be a major player. He’ll jump on Friday, he tends to enjoy that so we’ll keep him active. It can definitely help with some of them and we have had some good luck with that this season. If you take a guide through that he’s spot on for this run. He’s in really good order and I thought his run last time was good. I thought he was a touch vulnerable third up at 2400m with the big weight (last start) but he gets weight relief on Saturday. He’s been up and down but he’s going very well at the moment and his work on Tuesday was good. We’ll definitely be positive and try and lead. He likes to roll along at a good speed, he’s got a high cruising speed and that’s his asset so that’s what we will try and do.
Horse: Baby Rider
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, McKell Cup) Baby Rider shouldn’t be overlooked in the WJ McKell Cup. He’s just taken a little bit to get fit, he’s down on the minimum with Zac Lloyd on and he likes to control. We’ll definitely lead with him and on his day he’s a pretty handy horse. Off his work on Tuesday he’s definitely back to his form.
Horse: Our Anchorage
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, Petaluma Hcp) He’s come over from Europe and I thought his run first-up was okay. Up to 1800m he’s going to be much, much, better.
Horse: Shalailed
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 11, Rosehill Bowling Club Hcp) His run was really good first-up and he’s had a good trial in between. I don’t think he’s out of it and is in with a good each-way chance.
From Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Horse: Franz Josef
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, Petaluma Hcp) He’s got a task (with 61kg & barrier 14). A three-year-old against older horses and giving them all weight but you see where he sits. We haven’t got aspirations of aiming for Group 1s in the spring, there’s plenty of races off the top that’s going to suit him. His win the other day was all right, they don’t win by three all the time, he got the job done and gave me the impression he was looking for further. I can’t wait to get to 1800m and see because he’s always given he impression he’d run it. As far as he’s been is a mile on a good track and he won. My main objective in this race is seeing him at 1800m, I could have claimed off him but I’d sooner go with a jockey that knows the horse. The four jockeys that have ridden him all reckon he will be better when he gets to a mile and a quarter. He’s still learning too, there was an interesting comment by Nash (Rawiller) and Kerrin (McEvoy) that on corners he’s struggled on heavy ground.
Horse: Smashing Eagle
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 11, Rosehill Bowling Club Hcp) He’s relaxing better now, he’s switching off. The firmer the track the better it is for him, he’s going to crack one of these races one day when everything’s run to suit.
From Chris Waller
Horse: Waterford
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, McKell Cup) Waterford’s best form has historically been at the start of his campaigns – four of his five wins have come first or second-up, as have five of his six minor placings. We spoke about it early on in the prep. He always comes back and looks like he is going to win something decent, and he seems to be sharp over those 1400-metre and mile distances, but then he plateaus further into his prep. If he is a horse that can get 2000, or even 2400, that opens up a lot of other avenues for him, because over that mile range, he might have just hit his mark.
Horse: Bold Mac
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, McKell Cup) Bold Mac turned in his best performance in some time with a fast-finishing 4th to Ruby Flyer over 1600m at Randwick last start. Bold Mac was a little bit better last start and we’re hoping a bit of weight relief can help get him back into some form so we’re claiming on him.
Horse: Lord Ardmore
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, McKell Cup) Lord Ardmore to strip fitter with the benefit of two runs under his belt. Lord Ardmore needs to lift a little bit to find some form. He is third-up, so he’s entitled to improve, but he needs to at the same time.
From Lee & Cherie Curtis
Horse: Flightcrew
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, Precise Air Hcp) We’ve been saying to the owners if she shows any chinks in her armour we’ll put her out but she’s been perfect. She does seem very well, she worked along on Tuesday and was great. She just cruised up so we go in there confident she’s in a really good space. She’s just going ahead in leaps and bounds. To think she was a maiden when she started her prep and if she wins on Saturday she’ll go into the (BM) 70s. We raced her last prep and she probably just wasn’t developed. Her form was okay but this prep we decided to make it important that she got cover in her races. If you give her a bit of cover in her race, even 150m of it, she seems to find the line just with that little rest. She’s got a fantastic constitution, a fantastic temperament, she’s got a turn of foot and she’s a fantastic filly to train. I think back to 1100m will suit in that there should be a bit of tempo and Molly (Bourke) knows just to get in behind one or two.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 3 – Father’s Day
Sydney Race 5 – Ha Ha Ha
Sydney Race 7 – Waterford
