Lord Mayors Cup Day at Rosehill Gardens this weekend features ten strong betting races, headlined by the program’s time-honoured namesake.
With the rain continuing to fall in Sydney this week and a Heavy (8) track materialising at publish, I’ve kept my eye out for horses proven under the conditions.
Find all of my Rosehill best bets, including my Lord Mayors Cup tips below.
Nations League is third up and primed to strike at Rosehill.
The Snitzel colt returned to action with a fine performance to fill the minors in maiden company at Warwick Farm before only just missing in the Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury most recently.
He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since then, and this looks a great opportunity for him to go one better.
| 2. Nations League (1) 57kg9×32 |
Moon Sweeper has been knocking on the door of another win and gets a great chance in this week’s Highway race.
The Puissance De Lune gelding has improved noticeably with each of four runs back and was only just denied in BM70 company at Eagle Farm two back before going down a head at Scone on Dark Jewel Day.
In peak order this week and slightly back in trip, I think he’ll get his chance.
| 7. Moon Sweeper (2) 57.5kgx5322 |
All The Way Mae takes winning form into this week’s Midway Handicap.
Having only been denied by Tides Turning and Gorgeous in Class 1 company when resuming last month, All The Way Mae kicked away to record a dominant win at the same grade at her only other start this time.
She’s been charged with carrying just 52.5kg in this contest and has options in the run from the rails draw.
| 14. All The Way Mae (1) 52.5kg56×31 |
Shangri La Impact looks well placed again this week at Rosehill.
The Staphanos mare has won two of three runs back this time, bouncing back from a near miss with a sharp effort to salute in BM72 company on the Kensington course at Randwick.
She’s hard fit this week, another recent trial performance adds further confidence, and her heavy track form is excellent.
| 14. Shangri La Impact (7) 56kg0x131 |
I Am Carrot takes winning form and improvement into this contest.
The Castelvecchio gelding was a strong and consistent performer last time in, and he returned to action with a sharp effort to get up over 1300m at the midweeks earlier this month.
He’s yet to miss placing at this point of his preparation and I’m only expecting big improvement with fitness and getting further out in trip here.
| 5. I Am Carrot (7)SCRATCHED: | |||
Mawjood is a fit horse and primed to strike over 1500m at Rosehill this week.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding stripped fitter with a couple of fair performances first and second up this time, while he has been tough to fill the minors at each of his last two, highlighted by a strong effort behind an impressive Invader Zim at Randwick last week.
I like that he’s on the quick back up, and a repeat of that performance in this race would see him difficult to beat.
| 4. Mawjood (6) 59kgx7433 |
Another winning chance for Bjorn Baker at Rosehill on Saturday looks to be Big Papa in Race 7.
Big Papa hasn’t been seen at the races since January, but he’s turned in several fine performances in just four appearances, winning twice; both times at this point of his preparation, while he wasn’t disgraced in featured company up in Brisbane last time out.
He’s had the benefit of a couple of nice trials ahead of this suitable campaign launchpad.
| 12. Big Papa (7) 55.5kgx137x |
This is arguably the most open race on the program, and I am going to have two small each way bets on Gary Portelli’s pair, Thames and Mother Goose.
Thames returned from a freshen up with a fine performance to strike in BM72 company at Randwick-Kensington last time and is open to good improvement.
She’s drawn wide and will need luck, but she should get conditions to suit, and we’ll be watching for her late.
Mother Goose hasn’t been seen at the races since January, but she was a model of consistency last time in, winning in BM72 company at Canterbury before striking again here at Rosehill most notably.
She’s trialled up nicely and both horses look a touch of overs for mine at double-figure quotes.
| 8. Mother Goose (1) 57.5kg4121x | ||
| 7. Thames (13) 58kgx95x1 |
Group 1 placegetters Zambardo is the one for me in the 2026 Lord Mayors Cup field.
He’s yet to place in two runs back this time, but we know how good Zambardo is at his best, and that second placing behind Via Sistina on a heavy track at Flemington in November is hard to unsee.
Getting out to 2000m and on a heavy deck this week are the keys, he’s drawn nice and low and placed perfectly here, in my opinion.
| 4. Zambardo (2) 57.5kg12×96 |
Hay Street rates as a key winning chance again in the last on Lord Mayors Cup Day.
The Team Archibald-trained gelding hasn’t missed placing in five runs back this time, winning races here and at Randwick-Kensington most notably, while he was only just denied a head again at Scone a fortnight ago.
In peak order, he need only hold that condition to be in the finish again.
| 9. Hay Street (7) 57.5kg21132 |