The time-honoured January Cup headlines ten of the best at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney’s west on Saturday, January 17th.
The rail will be left in the true position around the entire course and at publish, we’re faced with a track rated in the Soft (5) range.
I’ve run the rule over every race and you can find my Rosehill best bets, featuring 2026 January Cup tips below.
THYME TO GO only just missed on debut and is one of the few gallopers with race day experience engaged in this contest.
Thyme To Go showed some ability at the trials and attracted interest in betting ahead of her near miss at Randwick at the beginning of the month.
With natural improvement and slightly further out in trip, I think she can be winning the first on January Cup Day.
| 4. Thyme To Go (3) 57kg2 |
REGAL PROBLEM has recorded two wins from as many runs back this time and gets her chance in a Highway Handicap this week.
Her fresh performance to win in maiden company at Scone was decent enough, but she was vastly improved in BM58 company last time out.
She’s been freshened, sent back to the trials and gets into this race with virtually no weight on her back.
| 17. Regal Problem (4) 54kg6x11x |
MOTHER GOOSE has turned in some fine performances this time in and rates as a key chance in this week’s Midway.
Mother Goose has missed placing once in five runs back, winning over 1250m impressively at Canterbury two back before running into a sharp Super Norwest in a similar race to this one at Randwick last time.
She’s fit, this certainly looks to be her grade, and I think she’s perfectly placed.
| 6. Mother Goose (7) 56kg23412 |
STORMLAND is second up and primed to strike on January Cup Day.
Stormland turned in some fine performances in metro company during his two-year-old season, and he simply could not have done much more without winning at Randwick fresh on Boxing Day.
With natural improvement into a similar race this week, he’s further boosted by the booking of a senior jockey in Nash Rawiller.
| 3. Stormland (7)SCRATCHED: | |||
A small but competitive January Cup field has materialised and with a case to be made for most of them, I’m going to give IMPERIALIST another chance.
We were with Imperialist when he returned from a freshen up in the Group 3 Summer Cup at Randwick on Boxing Day and he raced competitively to finish on the placegetters’ heels.
This does look to be a weaker field and with the benefit of that run under his belt, I’m confident he’ll be right in the thick of things when the whips start cracking.
| 3. Imperialist (2) 55.5kg71204 |
ALABMA FOX is another last-start winner I have my eye on again at Rosehill.
The Alabama Express mare has improved noticeably with each of four runs back this time, and after finishing the runner up in races at Warwick Farm at Randwick, she was rewarded for her consistency with a comfortable victory at this grade last time out.
Under similar conditions, she need only hold her form to be in the finish again.
| 5. Alabama Fox (9)SCRATCHED: | |||
There are several key chances engaged in Race 7 including RATTLE AND HUM, who I have put on top.
Rattle And Hum is another one that has continued to improve while racing well throughout his campaign, and he was a dominant winner over a mile and a half up in Brisbane last time out, accounting for some formed and fit horses.
In peak order this week, I thought it was a great opportunity for him to successfully transition back into Sydney metro company and go on with it.
| 4. Rattle And Hum (3) 59kgx4521 |
Another horse that has been going around in Brisbane this time in is BAND OF BROTHERS, and I’m also expecting his form to stack up this week at Rosehill.
Band Of Brothers has returned to action in typically consistent form this time and is yet to miss placing in five trips to the races, winning in BM85 company most notably before only just missing ballot-free entry into the Stradbroke Handicap when finishing second in The Gateway.
He’s hard fit, the 1300m at Rosehill looks to suit and I am confident he can win.
| 5. Band Of Brothers (1) 59kg23123 |
BEV’S NINE puts an unbeaten record on the line when he resumes at Rosehill.
Having stamped himself as one to follow with a nice win on debut at Wyong back in July, Bev’s Nine franked that performance by subsequently winning in BM64 and BM72 company.
A little rain in Sydney this week certainly wouldn’t hurt his chances, but he has form on a multitude of surfaces, and he has again trialled up nicely ahead of Saturday’s return.
| 7. Bev’s Nine (3) 56.5kg111x |
CROSS TASMAN chases a hat-trick in the last on January Cup Day.
Cross Tasman kept his best work for late to strike under 60.5kgs at Randwick-Kensington fresh from a spell and took improvement into a dominant performance on the main track on Boxing Day.
This is another slightly harder task, but he’s got the runs on the board now and it does look another ideal target for him.
| 7. Cross Tasman (3) 58kg23×11 |