NSW racing has done it’s best to take the spotlight away from the Flemington Carnival, where the official 2022 Melbourne Cup betting markets will heat up after the final field and barrier draw on Saturday afternoon, with a fantastic card of racing at Rosehill.
Our full 2022 Golden Eagle Day Preview can be found below.
These Highway races are often times won by a progressive horse or one that has been successful in these races before.
Sungblue won a Highway race by 2.65 lengths on a heavy track back in May and the four year old again looks well placed in this particular race from the good draw in barrier three.
1 Unit Sungblue
Plymstock was placed in the Listed Dalrello at Eagle Farm during her last campaign and was then beaten three and a half lengths in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes to close out the prep.
She was placed first up at Warwick Farm but this looks an easier race and the drying track will be an advantage.
1 Unit E/W Plymstock
Waterford only finished just ahead of Loch Eagle in the Silver Eagle and I’m happy to take the bigger price for the latter.
The now four year old was huge when making up considerable ground to win first up at Canterbury and he will appreciate the step up in distance at this stage of his prep
1 Unit E/W Loch Eagle
Hameron was no match for them in the Group 1 The Metropolitan last start but he was racing very well back in grade previous to that.
The Chris Waller trained four year old has proven himself on all surfaces and he is better suited back at this distance.
He’s been very well supported in early betting suggesting he will be competitive.
2 Units Hameron
This is a pretty weak race with limited depth and Monte Ditto can run a race at nice odds first up from a spell.
He closed out his last campaign by winning a benchmark 78 race at this track and distance and his trial win leading into this assignment was solid.
1/2 Unit E/W Monte Ditto
Both runs from Pinarello have been sound this prepand he will appreciate getting out to a more suitable distance now.
The Group 1 QLD Derby winner will be a better chance with the track in the good/soft range but is well over the Rosehill Gold Cup odds.
Honeycreeper was excellent when getting to within a neck of the winner in the Group 3 Angst last start at her second run in.
She drops 4kgs on that effort and has won her only start over 2000m.
1/4 Unit E/W Pinarello
1 Unit Honeycreeper
What a cracker of a race this is.
I’m happy to take on the favourite Lost And Running with all of the issues he’s had and while I do think Mazu and Private Eye are the main dangers, they are rock bottom prices in Nature Strip Stakes betting.
Masked Crusader is one that represents value with what I envisage a drying track and plenty of pace on up front.
Kolding was very ordinary in the Group 2 Theo Marks first up but he’s had three trials in between runs and looked pretty good.
$71 is a silly price and I’m having a small play on him.
1 Unit E/W Masked Crusader
1/4 Unit E/W Kolding
Vilana is a very progressive and lightly raced four year old who scored the fifth win of his eight start career with a dominant win in the Silver Eagle at Royal Randwick.
He showed a sharp turn of foot late in the race proving the 1500m shouldn’t be an issue and he represents great each way value.
Hinged is every chance of taking out the Golden Eagle off the back of back to back placings at Group 1 level against the open class horses.
She was beaten just over a length behind Anamoe in the George Main and then got to within half a length of the winners in the Epsom Handicap
The Peter Moody trained Chain Of Lightning continues to go from strength to strength and her win in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes was simply outstsanding.
She seem a better mare on the soft track which she should get on Saturday and she’s drawn well in barrier two.
1/4 Unit E/W Vilama
1/2 Unit E/W Hinged
1 Unit Chain Of Lightning
A whole heap of benchmark 64 form to get through in this race but there is one that stands out at an enormous price.
Danish Prince was not far away in a couple of Provincial Championship races two campaigns back and both runs last prep were full of merit.
He’s had two trials leading into this first up assignment and both have been solid and he represents great each way value at the double figure odds in Four Pillars betting.
1/2 Unit E/W Danish Prince
Plenty of value in the final race of the day including Spiranac who wasn’t beaten far first up in a benchmark 78 and then finished sixth in The Kosciuszko at Randwick.
Ma And Pa is a well bred five year old gelding out of the superb mare Dear Demi who was competing in a much higher grade during his last campaign.
His first up record is good and his most recent trial win suggests he can run a cheeky race at big odds here.
Arbitration has finished in the top two in six of her nine career starts and her win at this track last start was excellent.
The drying track will suit her and she will carry just 54kg with the apprentice’s claim.
1/2 Unit E/W Spiranac
1/4 Unit E/W Ma And Pa
1 Unit Arbitration