28/11/20 Rosehill Tips for Festival Stakes Day

Metropolitan racing returns to Sydney on Saturday, with Rosehill hosting a bumper nine race card.

After a nice break, the rail will be in the true position for what shapes to be a cracking day of racing.

The highlights will be the Group 3 Festival Stakes and the Listed Starlight Stakes, which have both attracted quality fields.

 

 

Track Conditions

Rosehill should be in pristine condition on Saturday, with Sydney bathed in sunshine throughout the week and punters can expect the track to start a Good 4.

The recent meetings at this track tended to favour on-pace runners, however this meeting last year played fair.

 

Rosehill Race 7 - Festival Stakes 1500m (Group 3)

The Map  

I am expecting Irithea (6) to kick up from a nice draw to lead, with Mushaireb (1) and (3) Miss Siska holding a prominent position from the inside draws. 

Outrageous (9) will attempt to sit a touch better than midfield along with Gaulois (4). 

Phaistos (2),  Military Zone (5), Ranier (7), Mr Marathon Man (8) and Sambro (11) will sort themselves out in midfield. 

Royal Celebration (13) is an interesting one as they can either head forward like he has in recent runs, or attempt to slot in midfield. 

The rest will settle at the rear off a solid speed.

 

The Favourite 

Phaistos ($5.00) is the early favourite in a wide open race.

The Helmet gelding is coming off a solid placing in the Sale Cup on heavy going where he was no match for the winner, finishing 5.5 lengths back in third.

He comes into this race fit being third-up, and gets back on top of the ground which works in his favour.

He is two from two at this track and distance and is drawn to sit midfield throughout.

I expect this settling position to prove his downfall however, as he is a big risk of getting cluttered up at the wrong time and being run over when he eventually gets out.

 

Analysis and Tips 

I am sticking with the Wanted gelding, who looks set to back-up his impressive win at Newcastle last start.

Through The Cracks ($6.50) looks a great bet after he showed a nice set of heels to run over the top of his rivals at the 1300m distance.

I love this step-up to 1500m and remaining on a good track.

This is his toughest race to date but he has a light-weight and from the wide draw, I expect him to make a charge at them from the rear. 

Robbie Dolan will need to be patient, stick to the plan and not get too far off his rivals. If he can be within striking distance when entering the straight, watch him storm home.

 

Rosehill Race 8 - Starlight Stakes 1100m (Listed)

The Map 

I expect this race to be run at above average tempo.

Look for Snitz (2) to kick-up from the inside, with Spaceboy (6) applying early pressure from the middle alongside Varda (8).

Villami (11) should go forward from the outside and I expect Easy Eddie (15) to follow suit.

Glenall (3) and Inanup (4) will kick up behind them from favourable barriers with Plague Stone (5).

Passage of Time (7) will also try his luck sitting prominent, whilst Viridine (9) and Single Bullet (10) will likely sit worse than midfield from their less favourable draws.

Expect Poetic Charmer (12) and Tactical Advantage (13) to bring up the rear.

 

The Favourite 

Varda ($4.20) is the favourite in this speedy race.

She won four from four in the winter, before having a short break and returning with an okay run in the Century Stakes up the Flemington straight. In that clash, she finished fourth behind the classy Ancestry, Garner and rival in this race Villami.

She gets a fair gate here, drops 2kg from her last run and has Kerrin McEvoy aboard which all points to a big run.

Varda can get into this race nicely if she follows Spaceboy in the run. If she avoids being caught wide, she'll fight out the finish.

 

Analysis and Tips 

I'm playing two horses in this race.

Varda ($4.20) has plenty of positives and I like the fact she's back at Rosehill (2:2-0-0) and up to 1100m (5:4-1-0).

She's proven second-up and I expect her to have plenty of residual fitness from her winter campaign.

 

Snitz ($6.00) is a touch of overs, as he maps well from the nice barrier.

He runs well when fresh (6:3-0-1), he loves a Good track (18:7-2-4) and gets a strong rider in Nash Rawiller back aboard. I expect him to run a bold race.