Brad Gray
Race 1 – 12.30PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
10. Annie’s Rose has not snuck under the radar in early betting like her recent finishing positions might suggest. The five-year-old mare had no luck first up at Randwick behind Super Norwest. It was a non-event for the Kristen Buchanan-trained galloper. She then contested another BM78 at Randwick, getting back from a wide gate and sprinting home in an on-speed dominated race. That was behind Cinsault, a subsequent Millie Fox winner in group 2 company. The knock for Annie’s Rose is the seven weeks between runs, albeit she has trialled well subsequently, and where she might get to upon settling. If Rosehill races to it’s normal pattern with the rail out 5m you typically want to be closer to the inside. 4. Audrey’s Lane was ridden to lead at Rosehill first up and those aggressive tactics paid off for jockey Alysha Collett, who maintains the ride. Has a tricky draw to overcome with several potential leaders drawn underneath her. 3. Art Volant is back to 1300m from the mile, which she perhaps didn’t quite see out. Three weeks between runs should freshen her up enough to cope. Honest on-pacer 8. Danish Prince is the next best.
How to play it: Annies Rose to win.
Race 2 – 1.05PM ASAHI SUPER DRY NEVILLE SELLWOOD STAKES (2000 METRES)
2. Barnavara is a last-start group 1 winner in France. The import arrives in Australia with a reputation to match her $10 million price tag. She is the latest expensive purchase for Yulong Investments. It worked out nicely with Via Sistina and connections will be hoping this four-year-old mare is half as talented. The daughter of Calyx has won five on her 13 starts, with four of those in her past five starts. She looks to handle wet tracks no problem, which could prove significant if the forecast rain falls. All the right noises have come out of Canterbury quarantine about how she has settled into her Sydney routine. Like the way 8. Portland has closed off in his two runs for Matt Smith. Now he gets out to his right trip third up. Has been sent around at $201 in the Liverpool City Cup and Ajax Stakes, but the trips were too sharp and last start was compounded by a lack of early pressure, turning it into a sprint home. Placed in a group 1 in France as a three-year-old when trained by Aidan O’Brien. 3. Wootton Verni started a firm favourite ahead of Vauban in the Sky High Stakes last start, but was too bad to be true. Forgive him that. 6. Caviar Heights is the travelling companion to Dubai Honour, but respect the placement of William Haggas.
How to play it: Barnavara to win.
Race 3 – 1.40PM DRINKWISE BAILLIEU (1400 METRES)
15. Nomadic is a throw at the stumps but if punters thought the Golden Slipper was open, check out this year’s Baillieu. It looks ripe for a roughie. Enter this John Thompson-trained colt. The son of King’s Legacy was run off his feet in the Lonhro Plate over 1000m on debut before reappearing four weeks later in the Todman when eight of eight behind Paradoxium. They walked early and made it impossible for backmarkers. He closed off in the fastest last 200m split of the race despite failing to beat a runner home. A capacity field over 1400m could see him improve sharply and being a half brother to Sheza Alibi by a Sires and Champagne Stakes winner, he should love the trip. 2. Wolf Gap comes through the Todman, too. He held his own there having won a Warwick Farm maiden on debut. He should eat up the 1400m. Nash Rawiller made comment post-race that the colt would appreciate a touch more give in the track, which he should get on Saturday. 4. Persian Wonder has been well backed in early betting. He hasn’t been able to quicken with the sharper two-year-olds over sprint trips so far in his career, but the constant is how strong he has been through the line. James McDonald jumps back aboard. 1. Plagiarism draws wide, and carries the top weight, but has the speed to cross and there doesn’t look to be a lot of pressure on paper.
How to play it: Nomadic each way.
Race 4 – 2.15PM QUAYCLEAN HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
11. Captain Furai was put into a perfect spot by James McDonald in an identical race to this two weeks ago. It left the five-year-old with no excuses. The winner, Modella, gave him windburn in the run home. Modella is a smart mare and a live chance in the Emancipation on Saturday, however. The other factor in favour of Captain Furai is the prospect of a wet track. He’ll handle whatever Rosehill throws up. He is a two-time winner on heavy tracks earlier in his career. The five-year-old was impressive winning the start prior coming from last over 1300m on a good track, again at Rosehill. The son of Toronado draws barrier one. 13. Our Queen has won four of her six starts. The anomaly in her form is that all four of those wins have been first up. In her defence, she missed narrowly in one of those defeats and was slow to recover in the other when $1.40 favourite. Jumps from 1100m to 1400m, but she has the profile of a mare going places. 2. Our Gold Hope was beaten in a photo finish by Ceolwulf at this meeting 12 months ago over 2000m. The 1400m is still on the short side for her, but a wet track could bring her into play. 6. Charcoals is next best.
How to play it: Captain Furai to win.
Race 5 – 2.50PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS TULLOCH STAKES (2000 METRES)
5. Storm Leopard was forced to give away too big of a head start over the mile at Caulfield, but charged home into fifth behind talented filly Salty Pearl. Storm Leopard clocked the sixth fastest last 200m split of the meeting. That suggests 2000m won’t be a problem. The Hayes stable picked off the Epona last Saturday and looks to have placed this three-year-old well. The son of Ghaiyyath is still in his first preparation but is only showing signs of improvement. His Ballarat win before his last start was dominant. 1. Arcora is a battle-hardened youngster with a Victorian Derby second to his name, when runner-up to Observer. He was an all-the-way winner of the Australian Cup Prelude in a brutally run race. Flemington did play very much in favour of on-speed runners that day. Looks well paired with Nash Rawiller. 2. Shangri La Boy might be racing his way back into form. He failed first up in the Hobartville before producing a better run in the Phar Lap, but it’s still a way off what we saw from the Pierro colt last campaign. 7. Varjak made good late ground at Gosford last start over the mile. James McDonald gets the ride.
How to play it: Storm Leopard to win.
Race 6 – 3.25PM VINERY STUD STAKES (2000 METRES)
2. Belle Cheval set out after unbeaten filly Well Written at Ellerslie last start and went within a whisker of beating her, coming out of the pack and surging late. The Savabeel filly gapped third and fourth. She is untried beyond a mile but profiles for it to be no problem. This is her autumn grand final, unlike fellow Kiwi 1. Ohope Wins, which is targeting an ATC Oaks. Another consideration is the barriers. Belle Cheval has drawn 12 and 11 at her past two starts and settled well back, but she has tactical speed. She maps to be a few lengths in front of Ohope Wins in the run. It’s an intriguing battle with Belle Cheval 1500m out to 2000m and Ohope Wins 2400m back to 2000m having won the New Zealand Oaks. New Zealand fillies have won two of the past three runnings of this race (Orchestral 2024, Prowess 2023) and look well represented again in 2026. Ohope is five weeks between runs and has changed stables to Chris Waller. She trucked to the line in a soft barrier trial at Randwick since. 3. Salty Pearl was beaten by the bias at Flemington two back as favourite before atoning for that in emphatic fashion at Caulfield. Has had 12 starts, but is still improving. Keen to see her out to 2000m for the first time. This has been the autumn target for 4. Panova.
How to play it: Belle Cheval to win.
Race 7 – 4PM SCHWEPPES EMANCIPATION STAKES (1500 METRES)
6. Idle Flyer appeared a little plain first up given her short price, but she was anything but. The lack of early pressure in the race made it impossible for her to chase down Gangsta Granny. Idle Flyer’s splits home were still slick. Deceptively quick, in fact. She was always going to find 1200m on the short side. The four-year-old jumps straight out to 1500m second up three weeks between runs. Perhaps not the most conventional set-up, but she has trialled well in between. The daughter of Dundeel was flying last campaign – she jumped favourite in the group 1 Empire Rose ahead of Fangirl and Pride Of Jenni. Handles all conditions. 13. Modella rushed past her rivals to win at Rosehill last start in benchmark company. She was simply better than those. The four-year-old proved competitive in a Golden Eagle at the back end of the spring. Looks a mare going places. 1. Arctic Glamour has put two good runs together this campaign. The latest a narrow second to Lazzura in the group 1 Coolmore at this track and trip. Her credentials for this speak for themselves. The Frosted five-year-old loves her home track, boasting a 7:2-3-1 record at Rosehill. 10. Churchill’s Choice is the best roughie.
How to play it: Idle Flyer to win.
Race 8 – 4.35PM KIA TANCRED STAKES (2400 METRES)
1. Dubai Honour has won three of his four starts in Australia with his defeat a second to Via Sistina when 2400m back to 2000m last autumn. The globetrotting eight-year-old, having raced in the UK, France, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai, is back to defend the Tancred Stakes. His form leading into this year’s Australian campaign suggests he has not gone backwards in the past year. Jockey Tom Marquand maintains his association with the son of Pride Of Dubai, which appears significant given the potential tactical nature of this race. 9. Aeliana gets out to 2400m for just the second time in her career. The first resulted in a Derby demolition 12 months ago. The four-year-old has come back better than ever, getting within half a length of Autumn Glow over a mile before chasing down Lindermann to win the Ranvet last Saturday. She’s the one to beat, but the early $1.60 isn’t giving Dubai Honour or 2. Vauban the market respect they deserve. Vauban started a marginal favourite ahead of Dubai Honour in this race last year. His return in the Sky High was dominant and like the prospect of him finding a rain-affected track. The last time 7. River Of Stars raced over 2400m she ran second to Half Yours in the Caulfield Cup. 3. Soul Of Spain has come back well.
How to play it: Dubai Honour to win.
Race 9 – 5.15PM RACING AND SPORTS DONCASTER PRELUDE (1500 METRES)
1. Sepals ran as well as he could first up in the Newmarket over 1200m finishing alongside the luckless Angel Capital. The four-year-old charged through the grades last campaign winning a Rupert Clarke before starting $2.50 in a Toorak where he was flattened in the run. He bounced back with a second in the Golden Eagle at this track and over this trip. That was behind Autumn Glow. That was on a wet track. Mornington-based trainer Cliff Brown has eyes for the All Aged Stakes after Saturday. Being a group 1 winner, the son of Calyx has been lumped with 59.5kg, but four of the past seven winners of this race have carried 58kg or more. Class has a history of prevailing. It’s difficult to overlook 13. Enxuto when assessing the Ajax Stakes from two weeks ago. It’s a logical form reference for this. Had things played out differently in the run, he wins. Before that, he ran second to Australia Cup favourite Birdman. Carries just 53.5kg. 8. Waterford has won five from nine over the Rosehill 1500m. He is also a very effective fresh horse. The negatives are that he draws wide and won’t want too much rain. 5. Feroce did not run up to his best in the Futurity but ran second to Tom Kitten first up.
How to play it: Sepals to win.
Race 10 – 5.55PM E SECURITY GROUP STAR KINGDOM STAKES (1200 METRES)
6. King’s Secret did not win first up, but still managed to enhance his reputation as a sprinter climbing through the grades. In a sprint home at Rosehill over 1110m, he could not match the acceleration of Flying For Fun, but he rallied the last 200m. In fact, his final 200m split was the quickest for the meeting. That gives the four-year-old a perfect platform to hit new peaks this autumn. Out to 1200m suits and the son of Shalaa handles all conditions, with a heavy track win already to his name. 4. Kerguelen comes through the same 1100m race. A wet track brings him right into play, as does the step out to 1200m. The middle draw looks ideal. 8. La Fracas is a mudlark boasting a perfect record on heavy tracks. Keep an eye on track conditions, but the wetter the better for this five-year-old. 5. Mal Coupe beat all the aforementioned runners home last start and just keeps raising the bar. 1. Gangsta Granny’s task has not been made easy by the barrier and weight, but she’s a classy mare. 9. Pallaton drops back from the Newmarket.
How to play it: King’s Secret to win.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
