The Sydney winter racing action continues this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens for 2015 Winter Stakes Day where the sole Black-Type on the card is the $100,000 Listed Winter Stakes (1400m).
There are eight races on the Rosehill program with the day’s headliner running as Race 7 at 3:55pm (AEST) and featuring a field of 13 middle-distance sprinters vying for the $60,000 first prize.
Seven other handicap events support the Winter Stakes with racing kicking off at 12:10pm and continuing through until race eight closes the card at 4:35pm.
Check out our quick betting preview for all eight Rosehill Winter Stakes Day races below and don’t forget to look into the great promotions and odds on offer around the country this weekend.
Feature Race
Race 7 – 3:55pm $100,000 Listed Sydney Markets Limited Winter Stakes (1400m)
Thirteen gallopers face off in this year’s Winter Stakes where the Gai Waterhouse-trained Spurtonic returns to racing carrying the 59kg top weight. Last start Civic Stakes winner at the track a fortnight back Haussmann is sure to attract attention but is drawn wide in gate 11 and carries three kilos more on 57kg than his winning weight in that stakes race. He only just held off Two Blue and Kristen Buchanan’s in-form mare is back in barrier seven on 55kg this weekend looking a nice chance. Also in-form is the Joe Pride-trained Civic Stakes third placed See The Word with the outside alley to overcome and the rails-drawn Rugged Cross for Chris Waller who ran fourth in the same lead-up.
Supporting Races
Race 1 – 12:10pm $85,000 Cohort Global Handicap (2400m)
Only six hopes in the first and just one, the Brett Scott-trained Vysotsky, eligible for the $20,000 bonus. Heading the weights on 59kg is the Chris Waller-trained Soviet Courage who is from the right stable and comes off the right form with back-to-back Sydney wins over 2600m and 2400m respectively on Heavy tracks. Handles the weights, wins and could be in the quinella with stablemate Ashkannd who gets the rails run from barrier one on the back of a string of good runs from the French import.
Race 2 – 12:45pm $85,000 Ladbrokes.Com.Au Handicap (1500m)
Benchmark 75 where nine face off including the Liam Birchley-trained Brisbane visitor Elusive Catch in barrier one carrying only 53kg thanks to an apprentice claim from Travis Woflgram. The young filly won at the Gold Coast two back before a third at the Sunshine Coast last start and has form up to 2020m in Group 2 company. Also well weighted is Final Decision (down to 57kg) out to atone for a last start seventh at the track and distance on a Heavy (8) before which they won over the 1500m here. Class factors lie in the John O’Shea-trained Alegria in gate two and Duccio who has 59kg.
Race 3 – 1:20pm $85,000 Bob Ingham Handicap (1100m)
Juveniles’ sprint attracted a big field of 15, all but three of which have had a previous run. Chris Waller saddles up last start Canterbury winner over 1200m Japonisme who drops from 57.5kg that day to 55kg in this. The Paul Perry-trained Tatoosh is drawn well in gate four for Hugh Bowman and has won his past two on the trot in easier company. Also of note are winners on debut looking to keep the good times coming with Cheeky Babe out in gate 15, Honey Cara in barrier two and the Clarry Conners-trained Our First Lady who Winona Costin rides on just 47kg.
Race 4 – 1:55pm $85,000 Alpha Flight Services Handicap (1350m)
An early scratching leaves eight in this Benchmark 85 for fillies and mares where the 60kg top weight belongs to John Sargent’s Breakfast In Bed. Ticking plenty of boxes though is the Jason Coyle-trained Berry Delicious who hasn’t finished out of the money in previous 10 starts going back to November last year. Has won past two straight over 1400m and 1500m respectively at Randwick and Rosehill and carries only 47kg with Costin’s claim.
Race 5 – 2:35pm $85,000 Primo Smallgoods Handicap (1200m)
Canny Ballad bypasses the Winter Stakes in favour of this easier assignment but has the 59kg to overcome as he tracks towards a Wyong Cup run in September. Shiraz is next heaviest weighted on 58kg and is second-up after a nice resuming win over 1100m here in the wet over Zaratone a fortnight ago. The Joe Pride-trained Casual Choice has the inside alley and comes off a nice first-up second while Fireball and Jacakaizane also come off consistent lead-up form and have nice barriers.
Race 6 – 3:15pm $85,000 Hungry Jacks Handicap (1350m)
Forget leads the weights with 60.5kg after a Warwick Farm win over 1400m on a Heavy (9) at the start of the month. It’s a big weight and there are plenty getting in far better kilo-wise including Footy Fan (52.5kg), Scratch Me Lucky (50.5kg), the rails-drawn Chris Waller-trained import Uppercut (55kg) and David Vandyke’s Poltava (47kg) all taking advantage of apprentice claims.
Race 8 – 4:35pm $85,000 Forum Group Handicap (1500m)
A dozen gallopers in the mix for the last with Forget, a dual acceptor, also the top weight in Race 6. Kris Lees saddles-up French import Rio Perdido who debuts down under here not having raced since back-to-back wins back in France two years ago. Inside alley belongs to Grande Punto who comes off a close fourth at the track and distance a fortnight ago. Best form is from Bel Esprit mare To Be Honest, the visiting Victorian having won two on the trot over similar distance at Ballarat.