Race-by-race preview and tips for Saturday meeting at Rosehill

The Age

6 days ago

4. Codetta might find 1100m a touch sharp, given her three runs to date have been over 1200m, but there is enough in the early price to take the punt on her. She remains an underrated filly for Michael Freedman despite her good record. The prospect of a soft track is perfect too. She is versatile in terms of where she can settle, which gives apprentice Jace McMurray a few options pending her getaway. She resumed a winner last time in, albeit in provincial Class 1 company. Was well beaten before spelling by Scintilla, but the winner is a smart filly, and Flying Thinker was back in third. 13. Ellipsis has been met with early support. She's an improving Bjorn Baker-trained filly. Only won narrowly first up, but there was merit to that performance, hitting the front a long way from home. Flying Embers ran her to a narrow margin, and she has since won twice herself. Ellipsis tackles this five weeks between runs but has won a trial since. Maps well from the inside. 6. Don't Forget Jack has had three different homes despite being just six starts into his career.
How To Play It: Codetta WIN
Race 6 - 1.55pm: RANVET HANDICAP (1500m)
8. Scalextrics was posted three deep at Doomben last start. It was a brave effort to keep finding the line to hold down fifth. The race was won by Fukubana, a good form reference for this despite the four-length margin. The five-year-old, trained by Matt Smith, may have been flattered by the heavy track given he loves wet ground, but Saturday's track, although improving, should still be rain-affected. Prior to last start Scalextrics ran a close-up third behind Thunderlips who has run well since. Back in fourth was 7. Little Cointreau, which the market has pegged as one of the key chances. 3. Furious looked the winner at Kensington last start, dropping back to midweek company but was run down by Pippie Beach in a tight finish. They beat the third horse two lengths. Has won out to the mile, so 1500m looks perfect third up. 4. Enter The Dragon has scrambled home by narrow margins at his past two starts, but winning has become a habit for this three-year-old. His record reads five wins from seven starts.
How To Play It: Scalextrics EACH WAY
Race 7 - 2.30pm: ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1200m)
10. Kerguelen has only raced once in the past 10 months. He was beaten as an odds-on favourite at Canterbury back in November. It was only narrowly. He was tipped straight out thereafter. The four-year-old has trialled twice ahead of his return, doing it comfortably. To this point, the gelding boasts a record of 5:2:3-0. One of those defeats was to Cool Jakey and another Eye Of The Fire. Kerguelen is a proven fresh horse, is still progressive and should get the perfect run in transit from the draw. Kerrin McEvoy jumps aboard for the first time. Four of his five starts have been on heavy tracks. 2. Spanish Fox has found 1100m too sharp in two runs back. He is creeping out to his right trip now. He strung together five straight wins last campaign out to 1300m. Like the way he kept chasing Zealously at Scone last start. 9. Unstopabull caught the eye when running fifth in that same Scone race. He was dragged back to last in the run. Hoping for a cleaner getaway on Saturday. Out to 1200m now on a soft track looks ideal.
How To Play It: Kerguelen WIN
Race 8 - 3.05pm: KIA LORD MAYORS CUP (2000m)
5. Glory Daze appreciated getting out to 2000m third up. It looked like a form reversal on paper, but his first and second up runs did have merit. His record over 2000m reads 4:3-1-0. The six-year-old is a big gelding, so needs room. That sees barrier 2 potentially pose some problems, but with clear running, he'll be hard to hold out on the quick backup. It was a very testing, heavy track last Saturday, but Glory Daze has bounced out of that run for the stable to turn him out seven days later. Evenly matched race, and that might give him a small edge. 7. Kadavar is likely to still be a run short of producing his best, and he maps to be giving away a big head start from the wide gate, but he charged home in the Scone Cup over the mile first up. Looking back on 11. Don Diego De Vega 's two failures over the spring, we can chalk those down to not being comfortable on good tracks. His two prior Australian runs, on soft and heavy ground, are perhaps a better indication of his talent.
How To Play It: Glory Daze WIN
Race 9 - 3.40pm: CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1800m)
12. Freight Train hasn't had much go his way in his past two starts. Given his tendency of laying in, connections have decided to try the four-year-old the Sydney way for the first time. The son of Shamus Award, trained by Price and Kent, has travelled like he has had something to offer in his two most recent runs, but has struck traffic. First at Flemington and then most recently at Caulfield behind stablemate Wonderkid. The appeal of Freight Train also lies in the fact that he brings a different form line into this. The Scone 1700m reference looks the obvious one here, but it was a blanket finish. Still not sure how 14. Gentileschi didn't win at Scone. She rushed home to be beaten a nostril. Not even. She was only second up there. Like the progression out to 1800m and she appreciates getting her toe into the ground. The barrier isn't so scary once you factor in the emergencies. 7. Kind Words was just as strong to the line and just missed herself. She too is suited creeping out to 1800m.
How To Play It: Freight Train WIN
Race 10 - 4.20pm: TAB HANDICAP (1200m)
10. Weeping Woman looks to be flying off her two trials. The Joe Pride-trained mare trucked to the line in the first of those before gapping her rivals most recently. She is an improving mare, yet already boasts a record of four wins form 10 starts. She ended last campaign a 3.5 length winner at Wyong, running second to Gangster Granny at Canterbury prior to that. The 1200m as a kick off says she is ready to go first up given that she has resumed over 1000m in her three previous campaigns. Has good natural speed but she doesn't have to lead. 7. Pajanti didn't get the clearest of passages at Randwick first up, charging home into second behind all-the-way winner Memoria. Like that she has been kept fresh since, five weeks between runs, given the mare's first up record. 17. So You Pence dodged the heavy track last Saturday where she was set to jump a firm favourite in Highway Handicap company.
How To Play It: Weeping Woman WIN