Chris Waller as usual has a strong hand to play at Rosehill on Saturday with Chateau Lafaite and Heart Testa spearheading the charge.
Chateau Lafaite will look to continue her winning run in the Sydney Markets Benchmark 74 3YO Handicap (1400m).
The full sister to Royal Descent narrowly saluted at Randwick over the trip last start and is a dual acceptor at Rosehill.
Connections have elected to keep the filly up against her own age where she will take on just five rivals in the second race of the program.
Chateau Lafaite looks the pick of the bunch and expect improvement from the filly third run back from a spell.
Her last start win at Randwick emphasised just how much scope for improvement the daughter of Redoute’s Choice has.
Settling near last, Chateau Lafaite proved difficult to settle during the early and middle stages and had a long hard think about letting down in the straight.
She got the job done though and the same is expected here.
Chateau Lafaite will again settle back but won’t be too far off the early leader in just a six horse field.
A genuine tempo is expected to be set which should suit the three-year-old who will get the last shot at her opposition in the straight.
While giving most of her rivals weight, Chateau Lafaite has an extra race campaign under her belt with her opponents for the majority embarking on their maiden preparations.
$2.20 about Chateau Lafaite in a six horse field looks a good way for punters to get started in Race 2 at Rosehill on Saturday.
In the final event on the program, stablemate Heart Testa can continue his quick rise through the grades.
Heart Testa contests the Bob Ingham Benchmark 95 Handicap (1200m) where he appears well suited four weeks between runs.
The four-year-old saluted in an 1100m Benchmark 85 Handicap at this track last start and form out of the race appears strong.
Runner up in that event, Knight Exemplar, finished a close sixth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes behind Arinosa while Famous Seamus ran third.
Famous Seamus has since won a Lightning Handicap.
Diamond Earth ran third behind Heart Testa there and has since come out and won the Group 3 Nivison (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Heart Testa looked sharp winning his latest trial at Rosehill over 900m on October 17 and the stable has a strong record with horses off a brief let-up.
The Testa Rossa gelding ticks all of the right boxes heading into this contest and the $4.00 currently on offer for him won’t be available come jump time.
Quayside is currently vying for favouritism in the Canterbury League Club 3YO Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m).
Of the four horses at the top of betting for the event which also include Abasso, Super Villian and stablemate Rutherglen, Quayside has the least appeal.
The Street Cry filly has the possesses the lowest 50 day weight adjusted Timeform figure by a noticeable margin and is still a maiden after five starts.
She rises 500m on her latest outing which was a one length second at Randwick over 1400m
Quayside is untried at the distance whereas the likes of Super Villian and Rutherglen each boast results over similar trips.
Sydney Specials
Banker: R2 #2 Chateau Lafaite @ $2.20
Play Of The Day: R8 #5 Heart Testa @ $4.00
Lay Of The Day: R3 #5 Quayside @ $4.00
