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 28.
In a Sydney racing season dominated by Chris Waller, it was only fitting the leading Rosehill trainer wrapped up 2017/18 with four winners.
Mister Sea Wolf finally broke his drought in Australia by claiming the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m), the fifth time in the past seven renewals Waller has claimed the off season feature.
Paret was the first leg of a race to race double for Chris Waller, taking out a 3YO Benchmark 73 Handicap (1400m).
Gelded in his latest spell, the son of Harbour Watch looks set to become a racehorse this prep with the stable thinking he’s destined for stakes races this spring.
With a Benchmark of just 71, Paret is expected to make it back to back wins next start.
That soft kill should come at Rosehill contesting a 1500m Benchmark 78 in two week’s time (August 11).
Race 1: Thinkin’ Big - 2YO Handicap (1500m)
Thinkin’ Big went straight to the front and controlled the race. That High Chaparral pedigree of his really kicked in late when Laburnum was closing in. The Waterhouse-Bott colt ran to a Timeform rating of 99.
After starting his career with two good runs over sprint journeys, Thinkin' Big has found lengths on those two runs getting up over this distance.
Post race Gai Waterhouse was talking Spring Champion’s and Derby’s with him. That’s fair enough as well.
Aliferous caught the eye late in third. She was jumping a fair way in grade off a 2YO Maiden win at Newcastle and handled it in her stride.
Race 2: Huangshan - 3YO Benchmark 73 Handicap (2000m)
Huangshan settled back off a strong early speed. He was too good late despite copping some interference in the straight. He produced a Timeform rating of 91 for the win.
It will be interesting to see how far the Redoute’s Choice gelding can go. He has a Benchmark of 72 after Saturday so there are plenty options for him.
Chris Waller has an army of these middle distance/staying types. They essentially take it in turns to pick off these Benchmark 80 races over 2000m and beyond. Huangshan will at the very least join that club.
Zedda in third for Ciaron Maher fits a similar profile.
Race 3: Wallander - Class 3 Set Weights Highway Plate (1500m)
Wallander was another early in the day who went straight to the front and gave a big kick to hold off the chasers. He produced a Timeform rating of 79.
There is a Highway Plate over the Randwick Mile in three week’s time he can go to.
Pierino in third can go there as well. He’s got quite a high Benchmark for a country horse so these Set Weight Highway Plates are ideal for him.
Nicconita got her fourth straight Highway Handicap second.
That was her sixth run this prep and it’s been a ripper. She’s off for a spell now and John Bateman will aim her at the Country Championships next season.
Race 4: Raqeeq - Benchmark 89 Handicap (2000m)
It was a case of third time lucky for Raqeeq this prep. He was always going to take beating no matter how the race unfolded. Just to make life easier for all involved though, the race went exactly to script for him.
There was some good early speed injected into the race courtesy of Raqeeq’s stablemate Veladero. Then he got an absolute dream run and clear space from the 300m.
We’ve assessed the win at a rating of 91.
It sounds like Chris Waller has an opinion of this bloke. He was only a Benchmark 72 rater prior to Saturday and we’re hearing that Newcastle Gold Cups and even potentially the Metropolitan are target races.
Race 5: Sharpe Hussler - Benchmark 79 Handicap (1100m)
Sharpe Hussler was ridden cold behind a solid tempo. He worked into the race around the turn and got some nice splits in the straight.
He’s a rising seven-year-old and has produced a career best rating of 96 to win on Saturday.
There is a Benchmark 94 in two weeks the Husson gelding can go to where he’d get no weight. August is a tough time of year for these Benchmark horses in Sydney though. Benchmark races are hard for them to find because they all get replaced by stakes races.
After that he probably needs a let up and hope for a Kosciusko slot.
Condor Heroes and Niccolance were great filling 2nd and 3rd. They each stuck to their tasks well. Both are coming back off long spells so would still be working toward peak fitness.
Race 6: Paret - Benchmark 73 Handicap (1400m)
Paret is two stone lighter this prep (gelded) and has clearly turned into a racehorse.
Hugh Bowman gave him a great ride. They snuck through a slender gap with 150m to go and then powered away.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 95 which is still marginally below his current master Timeform rating of 97.
Post race the stable compared the gelding to Boban who won the 2013 Epsom and suggested he could be given the same goal this spring.
Paret was a Benchmark 66 horse prior to winning Saturday and now has a Benchmark rating of just 71. If Group races are a realistic goal for Paret, having a Benchmark of only 71 means there’s the opportunity to chalk up multiple wins in Benchmark company before getting to stakes level.
There is a 1500m Benchmark 78 for him at Rosehill next fortnight. If that is the direction connections choose to head, you can already put Paret’s name down to be winning that.
Race 7: Mister Sea Wolf - Listed Winter Challenge (1500m)
This was a long overdue win for an import who produced strong runs in the Festival Stakes and Villiers Stakes during the summer to kick off his time with Chris Waller.
The Blinkers went on Saturday which helped Mister Sea Wolf take up a more prominent spot.
We’re so used to seeing him at the rear of the field, it would have been refreshing for connections to see him settled sixth the fence. We’ve got him running to a Timeform rating of 109.
Chris Waller has now won the Winter Challenge in five of its past seven renewals.
Foreteller was Waller’s highest rated winner in 2011. He ran to 113 and went on to claim three Group 1’s, the 2013 Ranvet Stakes, 2013 Makybe Diva Stakes and the 2014 Underwood Stakes.
He's Your Man ran to 109 when he won the Winter Challenge in 2014. The French import won the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) three starts later.
Emperor’s Way finished ninth, beaten almost five lengths. He was making some late ground though and could be ready to go next fortnight at Rosehill. He’ll likely tackle the Premier’s Cup Prelude third up over 1800m.
Race 8: Eusebio - Benchmark 90 Handicap (1200m)
Eusebio settled midfield behind a good early speed and weaved a passage down the straight.
The son of Benfica hit the front late ahead of surprise runner up Suspense.
Eusebio produced a Timeform rating of 102. The four-year-old has got a bit of talent about him.
His career peak figure is 105p. That came when James Cummings ventured south to the Nation’s Capital and won the 2017 Canberra Guineas (1400m).
There are a couple of suitable race options for Eusebio at Randwick in three weeks, either a 1400m Benchmark 88 or the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m).
His stablemate Souchez resumed well. The Lonhro gelding was slow out and caught the eye late to run sixth.
Race 9: Oria - Fillies and Mares Benchmark 83 Handicap (1200m)
Oria has been a model of consistency and this was a well deserved win. We gave it a Timeform rating of 89.
That was her seventh start this prep. Even though she’s been up for a while, she a filly in form and thriving on racing. There are suitable races for her at Rosehill in two week’s time. It might be worth sneaking one more run in this campaign.
Istria is in for a strong prep. She was good first up while Smart Amelia caught the eye late along the fence for third.
Caulfield: Vega Magic - Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m)
Wins don’t come much more easily than that one. Vega Magic had the Blinkers applied for the first time and Damien Oliver couldn’t hold him early on.
The five-year-old wanted to overrace and he still won by three lengths, running to a Timeform rating of 124. His master rating is 126, achieved when winning the 2017 Memsie Stakes (1400m).
It’s been a long time since a horse of Vega Magic’s quality has contested a Bletchingly so 124 is well above the prior five year winning average of the event.
It’s the highest winning figure of a Bletchingly since Apache Cat beat Haradasun in 2007. He ran to a Timeform rating of 125.
Vega Magic has got a coveted Everest slot now courtesy of James Harron and we know how talented the Hayes-Dabernig sprinter is. He ran second in the Everest last year behind Redzel where he travelled wide with no cover throughout.
