Chasing the best roughies for this Saturday? Ladbrokes has you covered with our top value plays from around the country.
We may have just the one Group 1 on the Sydney race card this weekend, but the Rosehill program is stacked with talent and plenty of longshots worth a second look.
Add in a European expat ready to debut at a big price in Melbourne’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes and there’s plenty of value to be found around the nation.
Lucy Henderson has slipped on the Value Whisperer hat once again, sorting through the form to deliver her best value finds for Saturday below.
Rosehill Race 3 – Group 3 $250,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m)
No. 4 Hardanger
HARDANGER (9) is still a maiden after three runs, but she looks way over the odds to finally crack it here.
She might not be the standout in the race, but she’s honest, she’s tough, and she’s bringing the right form to suggest another Top 3 finish is well within reach at a juicy price.
The Michael Freedman-trained filly kicked off her career with a tidy third behind a smart colt in Warwoven (who I’m tipping to win the Pago later on the card) at Randwick back in December.
This prep she’s been rock‑solid again — third fresh in the Group 3 Widden Stakes at Rosehill, then a close fourth in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace where she was only 1.26 lengths off Spicy Miss at big odds.
It’s a similar bunch she meets here, and while the wide gate isn’t ideal, Tommy Berry will likely let her flop out, switch off, and come with one late run.
Keep an eye out for her charging home in the last furlong.
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4. Hardanger (6)
J: Tommy Berry 56.5kg
334T: Michael Freedman
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Rosehill Race 4 – Group 3 $250,000 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m)
No. 1 Star Of Jamaica
STAR OF JAMAICA (9) screams Each Way value at a very tidy price for the Chris & Corey Munce team.
Nash Rawiller jumps on for the first time, and this progressive Profiteer colt has been coming through all the right races to suggest he can easily run better than his quote.
He knocked off a Sunny Coast maiden in late January by nearly two lengths as the odds‑on elect with 59kg, then headed to the Inglis Millennium and ran out of his skin for fourth.
If that wasn’t enough, he backed it up by grabbing third in the Skyline — only a neck off the winner at 20/1 — proving he’s no flash‑in‑the‑pan.
He’s tough, he’s honest, and he’s absolutely flying under the radar again.
This Queensland raider looks overs, plain and simple.
Don’t forget to also check out this week’s Lead-Up Lens tracking the Pago Pago contenders into next Saturday’s Golden Slipper!
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1. Star Of Jamaica (7)
J: Nash Rawiller 56.5kg
2143T: Chris & Corey Munce
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Rosehill Race 5 – Group 3 $350,000 Sky High Stakes (2000m)
No. 9 River Of Stars
RIVER OF STARS (1) is the second longest priced runner in the race but isn’t out of contention just yet.
Waller’s underrated Sea The Stars mare is two runs in and boasts a strong second-up record (6:2-2-1) that she’s out to add to here.
A dour stayer who is yet to win over anything less than 2400m, I don’t mind her over 2000m now as she’s sure to appreciate the rise in trip after resuming to run last at triple-figures in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) over an unsuitably short distance in mid-February.
That was her first run since a fourth-place finish in the Melbourne Cup, and her class is undeniable as she came into the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’ via an outstanding second only a half-length off Half Yours at 90/1 in the Caulfield Cup.
Showed plenty of potential for improvement in a recent Warwick Farm trial, comes back from 57kg first-up to just 54kg here and is drawn to get things her way from the inside alley now with Kerrin McEvoy coming aboard for the first time.
She faces some stiff competition on Saturday and, while I don’t see her winning, I think she could finish far better than the market suggests.
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9. River Of Stars (1)
J: Kerrin Mcevoy 54kg
024×0T: Chris Waller
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Rosehill Race 6 – Group 3 $250,000 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m)
No. 11 Signor Tortoni
SIGNOR TORTONI (3) is another of McEvoy’s mounts in Sydney on Saturday who can surprise in an open event.
The consistent Ron Quinton-trained Too Darn Hot four-year-old chases a hat-trick up in grade off two good lead-up wins this prep.
Two back in a BM72 at Warwick Farm in early February he carted a hefty 61.5kg to victory over six furlongs before dropping back in distance to salute again, this time by three-quarters of a length over Polyglot with 59.5kg at Rosehill.
Has the circuit box ticked now, winning strike rate is impressive with five wins from 11 starts to date and will be airborne from a favourable gate right back to just 54.5kg.
McEvoy always rides Quinton-trained runners well and is sure to take advantage of the alley to get this guy on pace giving him every chance at the upset.
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11. Signor Tortoni (3)
J: Kerrin Mcevoy 54.5kg
1×911T: Ron Quinton
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Rosehill Race 7 – Group 2 $300,000 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m)
No. 11 Profoundly
PROFOUNDLY (9) at around 60/1 looks a genuine blowout hope for a Top 3 finish in this year’s Phar Lap Stakes.
Sure, the odds‑on pop Sixties is near impossible to knock off, but if you’re hunting for something to fill a minor placing, this underrated Farnan filly from the Michael Freedman yard ticks plenty of boxes.
The fillies have absolutely dominated this race in recent years, and Profoundly can definitely outrun her price again after beating the older mares last start.
She was sharp fresh at Warwick Farm on Feb 18, winning by three‑quarters of a length over 1400m with 57.5kg, and she drops right back to 54.5kg here against her own age.
First look at Rosehill, but she’s a two‑time winner and should be humming late.
Tommy Berry sticks, she’ll have no trouble with the 1500m, and if the breaks fall her way, she’s the type who can bob up at a monster quote.
Don’t be shocked if she’s the one flashing home.
| 11. Profoundly (9) Scratched: | |||
Caulfield Race 8 – Group 2 $500,000 Peter Young Stakes (1800m)
No. 7 Chief Little Rock
My best blowout play in the Peter Young is CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (5).
The big Irish import has been kept very quiet but looks a serious smoky on Australian debut.
He’s a Group 3 winner back home, the 1800m is right in his sweet spot, and there’s been a bit of buzz around him ever since that slick Cranbourne trial earlier this month.
He moved like a horse who’s more than ready to make an impression.
Yes, the obvious query is the 21‑month break between runs — that’s a long time in the paddock — but he’s been gelded, he’s clearly got the engine, and the stable wouldn’t be throwing him into a race like this if he wasn’t forward enough.
If he turns up anywhere near his European form, he can give this a real shake at nice odds.
| 7. Chief Little Rock (5) Scratched: | |||
Rosehill Race 8 – Group 1 $1 million Coolmore Classic (1500m)
No. 5 Arctic Glamour
The Group 1 is bursting with genuine winning hopes and some quality Group 1 performed mares, but ARCTIC GLAMOUR (1) from the inside alley has caught my eye for an exotic’s inclusion.
Prepared by Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou, this five-year-old daughter of Frosted loves it here at Rosehill (6:2-2-1) and chases her first win over further than 1400m now.
She’s had two previous goes at the 1500m for two second place efforts and that shapes up as a pretty solid stat considering her price.
Back in November she won the Group 2 Hot Danish at any old price before finishing a brave second to Yorkshire in the Group 3 Festival Stakes where a nasty gate (15 of 16) hampered her chances.
Drew wide again in the Group 2 Ingham and ultimately finished a forgivable midfield 10th in the 20-horse field before heading to the paddock.
Fresh she was eye-catching, flashing into third only a length off Verona Rose in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes which looks one of the better form races to follow into the Coolmore.
She did it tough first-up having to loop them all coming from dead last on the turn for home to reel off some scintillating late sectionals and complete the trifecta.
Conditions to suit now and I think she’s more than capable of running over the top of plenty in this field again.
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5. Arctic Glamour (1)
J: Tom Sherry 55.5kg
120×3T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
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Good luck punters!