From John O’Shea
Horse: Zoukerino
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, The Rosebud) While Zoukerino will head into Saturday’s Listed The Rosebud as the least experienced runner in the field, the stable is more than happy to test the waters against rivals who boast predominantly autumn formlines. I have a view, rightly or wrongly, that possibly the two-year-old form from last season is questionable. I think possibly there will be a new wave of horses coming through of which he hopefully is one. He’s a nice horse, he’s out of a great family, off a good farm and young (bloodstock agent) Suman (Hedge) is doing a great job buying the yearlings. I would imagine this horse has a similar profile at the same stage of his (In The Congo’s) career. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we are just trying to replicate what was done previously. We’ve got a horse that’s got ability and hopefully we can achieve what they did (with In The Congo), or go close to it. It would be difficult for him to progress to the Golden Rose at his first preparation but if he was to be competitive in a San Domenico and a Run To The Rose, then he’s well on the way to making himself a serious Group 1 horse.
From Kerry Parker
Horse: Hope In Your Heart
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 5, Campbelltown Catholic Club Hcp) Runner-up in the Kembla Grange Classic during the autumn, the mare was competitive against some of the best fillies of her generation. I don’t really have anything in concrete for her. It’s always hard for those three-year-old fillies to step up into open company. If she can improve and step up and show she is worth targeting at something, there are lots of options there. It’s a pretty long spring so there is no need to be in a hurry. She will let us know where she fits in.
From Michael Mulholland
Horse: Double Wanderer
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 1, Highway Hcp) He’s promising, real quick but the big questions are second-up and out to 1300m in a lot stronger race off a 900m win (with 60kg at Coonabarabran), wish it was 1200m, but he might pinch it. You stick with jockeys who are loyal, Jake (Pracey-Holmes)’s ridden him for all three wins, deserves the opportunity in town. There’s a fine line, he can fire up and over-race, but Jake gets him to settle. He isn’t reliable at the barrier but he musters and can section. And we’ll come in a few gates where emergencies are drawn.
From Kim Waugh
Horse: True Crime
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 2, Dooleys Hcp) The gelding has won two of his three starts, and finished a close 2nd in the other, and he’s bounced through his easy all the way win in heavy ground at Randwick three weeks ago without a worry. He always worked nicely and I always knew he had ability but I didn’t think he would last this long in his first preparation. But he’s coping with the work and with the racing so that’s been a pleasant surprise. He’s a real tough horse actually, he’s kept coming really well and has done a great job. He’s been on heavy tracks most of the time and he’s pulled up well and copped it very well. I think we go forward and let Nash work it out, if he ends up in front that’s fine. If he’s just behind them he’s pretty versatile.
Horse: Oxford Tycoon
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 3, Midway Hcp) The seven-year-old does have a worrying Rosehill statistic of 14 starts for no wins but with a bit of luck in running from a tricky gate (12) he can be competitive again. He was unlucky not to run 2nd at Rosehill a few starts ago but he hasn’t been that far away. We thought he’d go well last time but he is funny on some of these heavy tracks, he will get through certain heavy tracks but not others. He got through that one the other day and pulled up well after it.
From Team Snowden
Horse: Miss Hellfire
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, The Rosebud) The girls did appear to have the wood on the colts and geldings as autumn two-year-olds, winning four of the five juvenile Group 1 races, and it is no more difficult for them to beat the boys at three. If you’ve got the right one it’s not (difficult). They’re all in the same boat. They are all back from two-year-old preps and you find some improve, some have gone backwards, some have stayed the same. You don’t know until you try them. We are really happy with this filly though. She has been working well, looks very good and we’re happy with the trials she has had so she will definitely be very competitive. There has been a big improvement in her physique this time which has got us excited about what she might do this preparation. She is quite forward. She’s had two trials and while there is a bit of improvement left in her, she is certainly forward enough to run well if she’s good enough.
From Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Horse: Psychiatrist
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 8, The Rosebud) The colt has been much more relaxed in his work and his trials. It might be a bit hard to expect him to win the race, but I expect the horse to run very, very well. He’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s more settled. The wide draw (gate 9) isn’t ideal because on first look, there appears to be a lot of speed underneath him but the way he has trialled and the way he has settled at home, I don’t think he’s one dimensional where he’s got to run along. We’ve curbed his enthusiasm a little bit and he’s a lot more settled.
From Chris Waller
Horse: Frumos
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 5, Campbelltown Catholic Club Hcp) The five-year-old has been a winter find and attempts to stretch her winning streak to four. There are plenty of options through to the end of the carnival. There’s a lot of steps to go but it is good when they are doing it like she is. You guys are seeing just as much as I am. She’s just a plain Jane at home but it’s amazing over that last 100m, whether it be Newcastle or Rosehill last start, the good turn of foot she has. And Sur La Mer (who finished 2nd to Frumos last start) backed it up last week with a good win. Hugh Bowman rides Frumos for the first time at Rosehill and she’ll jump from the outside alley (gate 9).
From The Editor
Sydney Race 1 – Russley Crown
Sydney Race 6 – Titanium Power
Sydney Race 8 – Spacewalk
