The Group 3 San Domenico Stakes is the feature on Saturday’s 10-race program at Rosehill Gardens.
The three-year-old sprint feature has attracted a quality field, including Skyline Stakes winner Corniche, stablemate Barber, and Rosebud place-getter, The Instructor.
For our bets across the entire meeting, read on below.
Race 1 - 11:45am AEST
Class 2 Highway Handicap (1400 METRES)
Miss Thatcher is winless in three starts over 1400m, but she does have claims here getting back out in trip.
The Churchill mare was beaten three lengths over shorter a couple of weeks ago, taken to the back where she ran on late to finish seventh from a very tricky gate.
She’s drawn a much kinder assignment on this occasion and gets in quite well at the weights again. Adam Hyeronimous had success on board first-up at Goulburn and I suspect we’ll see the pair much closer to the speed.
1 Unit Miss Thathcher
Race 2 - 12:20pm AEST
Bankstown Sports Handicap (2000 METRES)
Little Mix is a smart five-year-old that I think we’re yet to see the best from.
Annabel Neasham’s mare resumed at Warwick Farm a couple of weeks ago where she really found the line strongly down the very middle of the straight.
She looked as though she was wanting further over her final few strides, and she did run some big races over further during her maiden prep. With a place in a Stakes race also to her name, I think she’s open to big improvement.
2 Units Little Mix
Race 3 - 12:55pm AEST
Mounties Group Handicap (1500 METRES)
Marquess is clearly a gelding going places based on his effort when resuming at Warwick Farm a few weeks back.
The Tavistock five-year-old brought up his hat-trick when winning by just over half a length, given a 10/10 ride out wide under James McDonald to finish over the top.
He’s clearly armed with a serious turn of foot, and although this is tougher, this does become a more winnable assignment if Wategos heads to Murwillumbah on Friday.
2 Units Marquess
Race 4 - 1:30pm AEST
Midway Handicap (1800 METRES)
Piraeus appears to be nearing another win based on recent form.
The Freedman-trained four-year-old has found the placings in his last two starts at Gosford and Kembla Grange, forced wide over the mile a couple of weeks ago but really knuckling down late to finish two lengths off.
He comes into this assignment rock-hard fit for four runs back and is likely to settle midfield. Looks ready to run another honest race.
1 Unit Piraeus
Race 5 - 2:05pm AEST
Cabra-Vale Diggers Handicap (1100 METRES)
Smashing Eagle looks to have found a similar assignment to his latest win over the track and distance a fortnight ago.
The Shalaa five-year-old took off down the centre of the straight once a late split opened, gapping his rivals by over a length thanks to a nice patient ride from Tyler Schiller.
The pair combine again here, and with the track likely dry by this time of the day, I can’t see any reason why they won’t go on with the job.
2 Units Smashing Eagle
Race 6 - 2:40pm AEST
Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap (1500 METRES)
Call Di is a Group 2 placed mare (3rd in the Angus Armanasco Stakes at Sandown back in February) that could easily make a mess of these from the soft gate.
The mare by Frankel resumed in good order over 1400m two weeks ago, finding the front at the 200m mark before she was beaten out wide by the much fitter Powerful Peg.
With more conditioning and the rise in distance right up her alley, she should be very hard to beat once again.
2 Units Call Di
Race 7 - 3:15pm AEST
Group 3 Up and Coming Stakes (1300 METRES)
Favourites have a strong record in the Up And Coming Stakes with the last three getting up to salute, so I’m sticking with Caballus on top for Chris Waller.
The I Am Invincible three-year-old had genuine excuses over the track and distance last time out, copping some interference in the early stages and held up again when it mattered most.
His maiden win the start prior was full of merit and he draws to do no real work off the speed. With a fitness edge over some of his rivals, he’s the one to beat.
2 Units Caballus
Race 8 - 3:50pm AEST
Group 3 Smithfield RSL San Domenico Stakes (1100 METRES)
Barber makes his return to the races looking to add to his unblemished first-up record in the San Domenico Stakes.
The Godolphin colt is a perfect two-from-two at this stage of his prep, while he also won the Golden Gift here at Rosehill last spring.
Where he lands from the wide gate is the big query, but after racing well in Group 1 company during the autumn, the son of Exceed and Excel represents enormous value in a wide-open race.
2 Units E/W Barber
Race 9 - 4:30pm AEST
Dooleys Handicap (1400 METRES)
Glint Of Silver has a job at hand from a difficult gate, but I thought he gave a really honest effort second-up when just tackled late by Pericles and Madame Pommery.
This race isn’t much tougher on paper, and there’s a bit to like about Jay Ford’s form in the saddle of the grey four-year-old.
If they can shuffle across early and land on speed, the pair will take some serious catching.
1 Unit Glint Of Silver
Race 10 - 5:05pm AEST
Merrylands RSL Club Handicap (1200 METRES)
Bit of a dart board to wrap up the day, but I do think Astero has each-way claims returning from a freshen-up.
The son of Zoustar was the well-backed favourite at Doomben last month where he never really found top gear despite having all the favours from a nice inside gate.
He does tend to race well fresh, while he was only beaten 1.5 lengths at Randwick two back. Drawn low again, he’s in the mix with Jason Collet in good form of late.
1 Unit E/W Astero