From Scott Henley
Horse: Volcanic Love
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 3, Highway Hcp) Volcanic Love brings Eagle Farm and Doomben placings with him. Real big boy, genuine ability and been in stronger races, can be toey at the gates and excitable that’s why I’ve engaged a Waterhouse rider. Education there, their jockeys get them out, on pace and every chance if good enough – that’s why I booked ‘Hippo’ (Adam Hyeronimus) early.” I’ve always had an opinion of this gelding, the feel he gave, I thought better at four, but he did show us enough for an opportunity in Listed three-year-old races. We’ve given him plenty of time and he’s just starting to show what he’s capable of. He’s fitter for racing, trained on and well placed in a country Class 2 off that Brisbane form first prep. At 1400m “Hippo” will have us a lot closer than at 1200m and 1300m. I see we’re near favourite. Hope they’re right.
From Bjorn Baker
Horse: All In The Mind
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 4, Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap) All In The Mind hasn’t raced beyond 1609m in his 18 start career and hopefully Josh Parr can use the inside gate to put him to sleep and give him the chance to be strong at the finish. He can be hit and miss, he’s got to be switched off early but 2000m is something we’ve always thought he’d get over. He looks great, I’m happy with how he’s going.
Horse: Amor Victorious
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, Bankstown Sports Hcp) I am keen to test Amor Victorious beyond a mile this preparation. I’ve always thought he’d probably be better over a touch further so that’s the long term plan. He led all the way to an easy win second-up last preparation over the Randwick mile. I think 1400m is always a tough ask first-up so he will be better for the run. It wasn’t really a leaderish day that day so hopefully Rosehill plays a bit more even. I thought he was good and it looks a good race for him. Hopefully he’s made good improvement and if that’s the case he should be very competitive.
From Marc Conners
Horse: Willaidow
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 9, Mounties Group Hcp) The lightly raced six-year-old will line up for just his 14th start in the Mounties Group Handicap at Rosehill, looking to back up two strong return runs, including a last-start win at Randwick. Last preparation he won those couple of races then we half-decided we’d have a crack at the Midway Championships. We had to stop and start his preparation a bit and his runs were fairly spaced, which probably didn’t suit him. His last two runs he was just over the top. But he had a nice break, came back and now he’s racing in a nice sequence and he seems to be appreciating it. He had a bit of a late start, but in hindsight, it has probably been a good thing for him because he had plenty of time to develop. He is a lovely horse. Even though he is six, he’s like a three-year-old. He still doesn’t know what it’s all about yet. James McDonald has ridden Willaidow at his past two starts and sticks with him on Saturday.
From Matthew Smith
Horse: Waltham
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 4, Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap) Waltham won his first two starts in Ireland over 2615m so he’ll naturally appreciate a staying trip. His form was good, he won his first two impressively and was pretty good in that Listed race against some good opposition. He was on his first racing prep, I like what I see and I think he has adapted quite well. He’ll start to sharpen up each preparation and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him, next preparation, winning a good race. He does everything like a nice horse. He’s not screwed down or anything but he’s ready to start his preparation.
Horse: Headwall
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 10, ClubsNSW Hcp) Headwall has yet to miss a place in eight starts at 1000m or below and it’ll be up to Zac Wadick to keep the gelding settled as he did with great effect in his first-up win. We certainly don’t want to be digging him up because he’ll over race. We’ll let him be where he’s comfortable. The main reason we’ve kept him at 1000m and below is because he’s such a keen horse. It comes down to tempo. If they go a good gallop it will suit him better so he will relax a bit better, if he relaxes he generally finds the line a bit better. We’re going to be back on top of the ground which is going to be interesting. We know he loves a wet track so we’ll see if he’s as good on top of the ground and whether he can run 1100m. He’s in the right race and we’ll see what he can do.
From Peter Snowden
Horse: Zarrose
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 2, Merrylands RSL Club Hcp) She appreciates having her runs spaced and the proof is in the dominance of her second-up win three weeks ago. I’m very happy with her, she seems to be reacting to being fresh and keeping her to those 1400m and 1500m races. It was a very good win last start and she hasn’t taken a backward step so I’m confident she can run well again. She’s always had a great pedigree and you’re waiting for her to hit her straps and be something to look at. I had it in my mind she might get out to 1800m or 2000m but she doesn’t stay. By keeping her back to shorter trips and keeping her fresh she’s reacting off that. Always her first run was her best run in her prep so that’s probably telling us she doesn’t want to go too much further. She gets back anyway so it wouldn’t matter if she drew one, she couldn’t do much with that. We’ll just ride her like we have been and ride her quiet to get home. If she runs well I’d be looking to give her a crack at the Tibbie (Stakes), it works out nicely time wise.
Horse: King Of Roseau
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, San Domenico Stakes) He hasn’t raced since finishing second in a $1 million Magic Millions race at Doomben in May and his only unplaced efforts in five starts have been at Group 3 level in the lead up to the Golden Slipper. He’s no superstar but is very genuine, he never runs bad. From that good draw (gate 5) he’ll make his own luck, he trialled great the other day and his work has been good. There’s improvement to come but he’s going well enough to be competitive.
Horse: Media World
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, Up & Coming Stakes) I’ve always liked him, I was thinking about taking him to Brisbane after that (Hawkesbury) meeting but I thought he was a bit immature and it might be a bit early for him. He’s not a big horse but he’s a real athletic horse. He’s clean winded and a good trackworker, he trialled great the other day but he’s meeting some good horses here. We’ll know more about him after Saturday. I don’t rule out a mile, so it’ll be interesting to see how he settles in his first couple of starts.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Horse: Storm Boy
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, San Domenico Stakes) He is starting to take shape nicely and he has matured up as you would have hoped into his three-year-old season. We saw great improvement from his first trial to his second and there is further improvement off the back of that trial. I do think he’s going to be better placed and better suited the deeper we can get into the campaign, no doubt. But it’s important he has some racing in order to for him to get to those targets and be at his peak and at his best.
Horse: Mayfair
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 6, San Domenico Stakes) Mayfair is coming off two late-season runs as a juvenile during the winter, including a Rosehill victory in July. He will sport blinkers for the first time at Rosehill after wearing them in a recent trial win. He made nice progression at two and I always felt he was going to be better at three for us. He looked particularly sharp in his trial, he had the blinkers on which he gets on Saturday. He didn’t have that in first campaign, but it may help him coming back to the 1100 metres. He’s retaining a bit of residual fitness as well off that campaign. He looks in great shape.
Horse: Shangri La Express
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, Up & Coming Stakes) Shangri La Express finished 5th in the Rosebud first-up when giving weight to his opponents and again faces a tough task with 59.5kg. He was giving the field quite a bit of weight (last start), which unfortunately he is going to be forced to do again under these conditions. But we moreso want to see him getting out in trip to set him up for the races we’ve got in mind later in the campaign.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – It’s A Knockout
Sydney Race 6 – Gatsby’s
Sydney Race 7 – Wanaruah
