The Group 1 Coolmore Classic has attracted a quality field of fillies and mares ahead of Saturday’s 10-race card at Rosehill.
Seven of the 10 races are of black-type, and we look set to be racing on another severely wet track for the third week in a row.
Our best bets for the entire program can be found below.
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Race 1 – 12:20pm – Midway Handicap (1200m)
Oakfield Twilight typically needs the run, but he raced among some top notch company last winter that makes him tough to fault.
The Damien Lane-trained seven-year-old didn’t come close to a place in all four starts, but the form behind good horses like Shadow Crush, Southern Lad, and last week’s winner Remlaps Gem reads well.
He looks to have improved based on his recent trial at Wyong and tends to go well on rain-affected going. This looks winnable for him from the low draw.
Race 2 – 12:55pm – Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m)
She’s Extreme strips fitter for two runs back and can take big improvement away from her last-start runner-up to Fireburn in the Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick a fortnight ago.
The daughter of Extreme Choice made up big ground after settling midfield three-wide, and probably deserved to finish closer after running into some traffic down the straight.
The wide barrier should help her get back and run on and she should prove hard to hold out in the Magic Night Stakes.
Race 3 – 1:30pm – Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m)
Does look a nice race for the Hawkes-trained Magic.
The son of Snitzel wasn’t asked to do much on debut in the Silver Slipper, but he was strong late to the line behind undefeated colt Best Of Bordeaux.
He drops a kg under the in-form William Pike, and with plenty of scope for improvement, should be saving his best for late in the Pago Pago Stakes.
Race 4 – 2:05pm – Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m)
Hard to fault the form Ellsberg brings into his second-up assignment in the Ajax Stakes.
The promising four-year-old was a clear three-length winner in the Liverpool Cup at Randwick two weeks ago on heavy ground where he made every post a winner from the front.
Nothing came close to threatening him at the top of the straight, and with another heavy track forecast, he should only strengthen his claims heading towards the Doncaster Mile.
Race 5 – 2:40pm – Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m)
Probably going to take something special to knock off Rule Of Law here.
The four-year-old by Snitzel as rattled off five straight wins since being gelded, his most recent coming here at Rosehill three weeks ago where he gapped Emanate by close to two lengths over the same trip.
This is slightly harder, but he’s proven on wet going and gets 3kg’s off under Tim Clark. Maps to get a lovely run in behind the speed and is going to be very tough to beat.
Race 6 – 3:20pm – Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m)
Out to 1500m looks ideal for Fangirl in her third run back, if she does indeed line up here.
The daughter of Sebring won the Light Fingers Stakes first-up narrowly in front of Espiona, and lost no admirers when fifth in the Surround Stakes two weeks ago in her first look at Group 1 level.
Drops back a grade and has won third-up previously, while barrier 7 should give Tommy Berry ample time to save her best for late in the Phar Lap Stakes.
Race 7 – 4:00pm – Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m)
Great House is three weeks between runs after finishing fourth to Mightybeel in the Parramatta Cup when resuming.
He’ll appreciate the extra 100m, and while he’s obviously looking for further on his way to the Sydney Cup, he is worth consideration given his exceptional second-up record.
The five-year-old son of Galileo handles all going, and he should be afforded a well-timed run along the rails under Chad Schofield in the Sky High Stakes.
Race 8 – 4:40pm – Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m)
Last start Group 1 winner Hinged has gone up a decent price ahead of her third run back in the Coolmore.
The Chris Waller-trained filly was super brave two weeks ago winning the Surround Stakes, fighting off a late challenge from Startantes thanks to what can only be described as a brilliant ride from Brenton Avdulla.
She has wins to her name over further and is no question to get through the wet ground. Should be ridden a little more patiently under William Pike and is one of the main players.
Race 9 – 5:20pm – Vale Alan Brown AM Handicap (1350m)
Poetic Charmer is an honest type that tends to always race well here at Rosehill.
He’s had a few starts now over this trip for second and fourth at Randwick, most recently holding ground behind Ellsberg and Brutality in the Liverpool City Cup.
Not sure if the tempo really suited him that day given it was dominated by on-pacers, and I think this sets up before him with less speed engaged. The son of Your Song is hard fit now for five runs back and gets the blinkers on again hoping to improve.
Race 10 – 5:55pm – Cerrone Handicap (1900m)
Really tough race to end the day with a case to be made for most.
Benaud put the writing on the wall when he won at Nowra on debut during the spring, and he really hasn’t ran a bad race during his rise through the grades.
The son of Reliable Man improved to finish runner-up at Canterbury in his second run back, and also ran a big race for fifth in the Spring Champion Stakes third-up last time in work.
He’s placed on heavy going in the past, and should receive the gun run in transit from the low draw.
