The Rosehill Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the nine race program on July 14.
Group races during the spring beckon for Dreamforce after taking out the feature race, the Listed Winter Stakes and Albumin looks well on track for a return to stakes level next season after he made it three straight wins.
Chris Waller came away with a hat-trick courtesy of Jolly Honour, Vaucluse Bay and Sparky Lad. Making the day even sweeter for the stable were how the likes of placegetters Raqeeq, The Macallan and Paret all performed early in their preps.
Bjorn Baker continues to get his tried horses into the winner’s circle quickly and at an impressive profit on turnover for followers with dual Group placegetter Smart Amelia firing fresh in her stable debut.
Race 1: The Fire Trap - 2YO Handicap (1400m)
The Fire Trap won the first with an effort assessed with a Timeform rating of 97. It’s a new career peak and he’s improved with each run to date.
Trainer Matt Dunn thinks he’ll be a better miler. There is a 1500m 2YO Handicap at Rosehill in a fortnight the Sizzling gelding can go to which looks a good race to wrap up his first prep.
He’s a Magic Millions purchase so he should go to the Magic Millions Guineas in the summer. Then he can perhaps be freshened and go to the Country Championships.
Dunn can target some lucrative restricted races right through next season. Connections are potentially going to have a lot more fun with this bloke.
Laburnum was finding the line well in third while a few are no doubt looking forward to seeing Nobu get out to a mile and beyond as well.
Race 2: Roman Typhoon - Class 2 Highway Handicap (1100m)
Roman Typhoon is showing good promise. On Saturday he’s run to a Timeform rating of 74 despite still doing a few things wrong.
He wanted to lay in for most of the straight however inside the final furlong the three-year-old accelerated nicely.
There’s the potential for Roman Typhoon to enjoy more success very soon. He’ll only be around that Benchmark 60 rating after Saturday and should be peaking fourth run from a spell.
Trainer Jan Bowen has another fortnight to find another suitable race and hopefully pick up some more BOBS cash for connections. There are plenty of options on the calendar for him.
Rekindled Force was solid in third. He’ll be fitter for the run. After a spell where he was gelded and had a wind operation, he could take beating second up.
Race 3: Jolly Honour - Benchmark 75 3YO Handicap (1800m)
Jolly Honour was settled one out one back but Hugh Bowman thought they were going too slow so he took off early. It’s always good to see a jockey rewarded for showing some initiative.
He’s run to a figure of 95 for that display and is another example of how the Reliable Man’s find a new level once they get out beyond a mile.
Even better for Jolly Honour is there are a couple of 2000m options for him in two weeks at Rosehill. He can carry a big weight against his own age in a Benchmark 75 or carry no weight against the older horses in a Benchmark 90.
Taking on the older horses is perhaps the way to go. I say that because his stablemate The Macallan who ran third could take beating in that 3YO Benchmark 75 in two weeks. That was a strong Australian debut and he’ll certainly be fitter for it.
Race 4: Smart Amelia - Fillies and Mares Benchmark 81 Handicap (1100m)
It was Smart Amelia’s first run for Bjorn Baker and she got it done. We’ve got Smart Amelia running to a Timeform rating of 95.
She has a Master Timeform rating of 99 as well so Bjorn has at least a length or two to work with from her latest.
There are a couple of 1200m races at Rosehill in two weeks where she can go.
Bjorn is having some fun with the tried horses he’s getting so far this season. The Warwick Farm-based trainer has a profit on turnover of 41% this season with tried horses making their stable debuts. As well as Smart Amelia, runners such as Show A Star and Redouble are a couple who come to mind that have found winning form this season since switching to the Warwick Farm stable.
After disappointing in their last starts, Upscale with Blinkers first time and Duchess Pedrille each produced good improvement to fill the minor placings. Both look to have got their preps back on track.
Race 5: Star Of Monsoon - Benchmark 80 Handicap (1200m)
Star Of Monsoon is yet another case of a horse being gelded and becoming a winner. He was a bridesmaid before getting the snip. Since then he’s won three of his six starts.
This was the four-year-old’s best win, it netted him a Timeform rating of 98.
There is a 1200m Benchmark 90 at Rosehill in two weeks Gerald Ryan can send him to. He’ll be fitter second run from a spell and already profiles as one of the main fancies in it.
Smartedge ran second as favourite and is getting frustrating. That was the fourth run of his latest prep. He’ll likely get one more chance to claim some BOBS cash in an 1100m Benchmark 80 at this course next fortnight.
Paret in third and Reach For Heaven each caught the eye late. Both were first up and should improve on the runs. Paret in particular is one to watch. He’s always promised plenty however is yet to fully showcase it on the racetrack. Connections during his latest spell elected to geld the three-year-old which should help the Harbour Watch three-year-old switch on as a racehorse.
Race 6: Vaucluse Bay - Benchmark 80 Handicap (2000m)
Vaucluse Bay was back to Rosehill, back on a firm track and back in the winner’s circle.
He ran to a Timeform rating of 98. It was a massive run. The Al Maher gelding travelled three wide with no cover the whole way but was still too strong.
If the four-year-old’s come through that tough run okay, there is a Benchmark 90 at the same track and trip that he can progress to.
Raqeeq was good in second. He was stepping up 500m in trip so was perhaps just a run short late.
Chris Waller post race suggested a Newcastle Cup could be his aim this prep. If they’re already looking at a Group race for him, he should be winning some time in the next month.
The calendar looks a shade shy of genuinely suitable races for him over the coming weeks however I’m sure Chris will find something for him.
Race 7: Dreamforce - Listed Winter Stakes (1400m)
Dreamforce is a ripper! He goes forward and doesn’t know how to throw in the towel. Just when we thought we couldn’t like him anymore, John Thompson post race said his stable name is Rocky because he never gives up.
We’ve got Dreamforce running to 113. That’s a high figure for a Civic Stakes. He’s the strongest winner of the Civic Stakes this decade by two lengths or more.
John Thompson is going to freshen him now and look toward races like the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield and the Railway Stakes in Perth.
He’s the right sort of horse for those races, a tough, on pace type.
The Winter Challenge shaped as a logical progression for Dreamforce. His absence means the race opens up for the likes of Invinzabeel, Special Missile and Hiflyer who were all strong behind him.
Race 8: Albumin - Benchmark 92 Handicap (1200m)
Gerald Ryan has found the key to Albumin. He won well again and we’ve given the run a Timeform rating of 100.
He’s won a quarter of a million in prizemoney and BOBS bonuses in his past three starts.
There’s the opportunity to run him one more time this prep for some more as well.
There is a 1200m Benchmark 90 Handicap for him at Rosehill in two weeks. He can be bringing up the picket fence there for sure.
Drachenfels in fifth can head that way as well. It was a solid first up effort by the Godolphin runner and was certainly working through his gears well enough.
Race 9: Sparky Lad - Benchmark 85 Handicap (1500m)
Sparky Lad settled back and was excellent late. Ran to a Timeform rating of 90.
He’d been in work and racing well for a long time before that and is another three-year-old who’ll likely have one more run this season to chase some BOBS cash.
Impavido is the other who could be one to follow from the race. He’s looked good in two runs with the Blinkers on.
While not an overly strong race, it wrapped up what overall was a superb off season program at Rosehill on Saturday.
