The Rosehill Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the nine race program on June 30.
The meeting commenced in encouraging fashion with Dio D’oro and Toulouse dead heating with performances indicative of them not looking out of place at stakes level next season.
Asterius led in a Chris Waller trifecta for Race 3 with a display which suggests July could prove lucrative for his connections.
Later in the program, Dreamforce lost no admirers for his gallant second in the Civic Stakes while Raqeeq and Redouble may have put the writing on the wall for their next starts.
Race 1: Dio D’Oro & Toulouse - 2YO Handicap (1400m)
Dio D’oro and Toulouse kicked off the program dead heating over 1400m. They are a pair of really nice 2YO’s likely heading in completely different directions.
Dio D’oro gave Toulouse 2kg so he’s rated higher for the dead heat win.
The run returned a Timeform rating of 103. Giving that even more merit was the fact he was backing up off a heavy track run in just his third career start.
The Medaglia D’oro colt is going for a let up now and he’ll be back for an early season prep with what ideally will be an ultimate goal of the Golden Rose.
In the meantime, connections are counting well over $200,000 in combined prizemoney and BOBS bonuses which he’s accumulated in what profiles very much like a coming of age prep for the Medaglia D’oro colt.
The other winner Toulouse was beaten for a turn of foot at the top of the straight however his stamina kicked in over the final furlong.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 96 and is crying out for more ground in order to build on that figure.
David Payne is putting the Lope De Vega gelding out for a spell now. He can showcase his best over a mile and beyond in the spring.
Race 2: Realing - Class 3 Highway Handicap (1400m)
It was a last to first victory for Realing and he produced a Timeform rating of 91.
Horses dropping back to these Highway Handicaps from metro and provincial races are goldmines.
Highway Handicaps are country restricted races so it’s a massive class drop for horses who can measure up at metro and provincial level.
His fourth win on Saturday means Realing is done with the Highway Handicaps now. As he’s shown in the past though, he won’t look out of place at city level.
Race 3: Asterius - Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m)
Asterius was jumping a long way in grade from what he beat first up but was still too good. The Sebring gelding settled back and was a real cut above in the straight.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 95. Chris Waller post race said Asterius will be working through his grades this winter and all signs point to that whilst chasing some additional BOBS bonuses on the side.
The quality of racing generally falls away through the winter however the BOBS cash on offer at least means quite a few three-year-olds with good upside use the off season to work through their grades.
Asterius could potentially race on two more occasions before his three-year-old season is out.
His campaign path will hinge on whether the stable believe he is a miler or could be effective over up to ten furlongs.
Race 4: Gala Moshea - Fillies and Mares Benchmark 80 (1100m)
Gala Moshea made it three races in a row where the winner settled dead last and was strong late.
She’s run to a Timeform rating of 81. It’s not a high figure, something more so linked to a provincial/midweek kind of win.
It shows how well she was placed on Saturday to win a touch over $50,000. The favourite Brook Magic was a shade disappointing in third. Regardless, she is clearly the runner out of the race to most likely go on and do something though.
Race 5: Tornado Gal - Benchmark 75 Handicap (1800m)
Tornado Gal made it three straight wins after successes at country and provincial level. It’s no surprise to see that was her highest rated win. We assessed it at 83.
She’s flying, she’s hard fit and even after Saturday’s win she’ll only have a Benchmark in the 60’s.
There are a couple of nice middle distance three-year-old races for her at Rosehill between now and season’s end.
So Splendid ran third and she could perhaps be ready to win third up. There is a 2000m Benchmark 80 Handicap in a fortnight which profiles as a suitable target.
Race 6: Harper’s Choice - Listed Winter Cup (2400m)
Harper’s Choice was well rated out in front by Brenton Avdulla. He led at a canter and those soft early sectionals really made the difference late.
The son of Street Cry ran to a Timeform rating of 100.
There’s not much left for him on the calendar in Sydney this winter. Blake Ryan post race mentioned the Queen’s Cup over 3200m in Brisbane in two weeks. The Grafton Cup (2350m) though on Thursday week could be an excellent race for him. He’d be one of the class runners there.
Destiny’s Kiss lumping the 61kg was excellent as well to run second. He was well ridden by Jay Ford who knew he had the big weight and really started to stoke him up around the turn.
The Joe Pride-trained stayer is a marvel. He’s run to 116 on Saturday and is producing career best figures this prep as a rising ten-year-old.
Race 7: Liapari - Listed Civic Stakes (1350m)
We know Liapari as more of a miler but he simply got a sprint race run to suit on Saturday. The Nom Du Jeu gelding got back off a solid early speed and his ability to run a mile really helped the five-year-old late.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 105.
The Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill in two week’s time will be next for him and certainly won’t be 40-1 there.
It’s worth staying with Team Dreamforce again though. It was an excellent run. He had to work hard early from a wide gate but still fought hard to the line.
He was simply beaten by a ten out of ten ride by Jay Ford on Liapari. In two week’s Dreamforce should be winning the Winter Stakes third run from a spell.
Gold Symphony ran seventh in the Civic Stakes where he was doing his best work late. He’ll go to the Winter Stakes as well.
Race 8: Coonawarra - Benchmark 79 Handicap (1500m)
Coonawarra stalked the early leader and was a cut above late. He produced a win assessed at 97.
There are a couple of Benchmark 90 Handicaps at Randwick in the next few weeks he won’t look out of place in. He’ll be hard fit for them fourth run from a spell as well.
Chris Waller had a couple hitting the line well too. The Avenger ran fourth and Raqeeq ran fifth. Raqeeq could be one to follow. He’s a French import who ran some really good races in his first prep here during the autumn.
Nine times out of ten, these Chris Waller imports show really good improvement at their second Australian preps. There is no reason to suggest Raqeeq will be any different.
Race 9: Easy Eddie - Benchmark 93 Handicap (1100m)
Easy Eddie was another who like Coonawarra settled outside the lead and proved too good late. He was left out in front a long way from home but to his credit he kicked and fought hard. We’ve got him running to a Timeform rating of 98.
He’s probably coming to the end of his prep now but there’s a suitable 1200m Benchmark 90 Handicap for him at Rosehill in two weeks.
Redouble ran third and can perhaps go to that same race. Last prep he was running up over 1400-1500m so he’s likely in need of 1200m at this stage of his prep.
