Some of Sydney’s leading spring contenders came to Rosehill on Saturday to get a feel for their upcoming assignments.
Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer and his Gai Waterhouse-trained stablemate Carlton House were among those to gallop between races.
Their worked together with stable representative Mark Newnham happy with their work but uncertain when either would resume.
Carlton House is on a Cox Plate path as is the David Payne-trained ATC Australian Derby winner Criterion who worked with stablemate Bold Circle.
Criterion was ridden by Hugh Bowman who also partnered him to win the Rosehill Guineas.
“It was the first time I’ve ridden him since the Derby and he seems to have furnished out and physically developed which is always a good sign,” Bowman said.
“I was very happy with him, hes quite forward, and he’s ready to go. He pulled up very well from that gallop.”
Payne said the Warwick Stakes on August 23 was the planned return for Criterion.
Group One-winning sprinter Rebel Dane will return next Saturday and had a solo gallop with new jockey Blake Shinn aboard.
“He is a horse who gets a bit nervous on race day so I just wanted to give him the experience,” trainer Gary Portelli said.
“And it is also good for Blake to get a feel for him.”
Rebel Dane will resume in next Saturday’s Group Two Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick next Saturday with his first Group One mission, the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.