Yard to the Post | Golden Rose Day
Race Day: Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, 24 September 2022
In a year plagued by rainfall we were blessed with the perfect racing surface at Rosehill Gardens today. A GOOD 4 and no bias gave every galloper their chance to perform.
Those racing conditions set the stage for a dramatic finish in the Group 1 Golden Rose for three-year-olds. IN SECRET, the star of Sydney, kicked up the inside to hit the front with James McDonald in the saddle before the Melbourne colt JACQUINOT exploded down the outside late to take the prize. Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior delighted the son of Rubick made amends for his failure in the Golden Slipper when he didn't handle the wet track.
The brave mare NIMALEE (1,400 metre Golden Pendant for fillies and mares) and dynamic miler SURF DANCER (1,500 Shannon Stakes) both took out Group 2s on the day.
A full review is provided below.
Track Info
| Rail | TRUE |
| Conditions | GOOD 4 |
| Weather | OVERCAST |
| Bias | FAIR |
Race 1 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP
slow tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smooth Esprit | Clint Lundholm | Kerrin McEvoy | 5 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | King Of Spades | Danielle Seib | William Pike | 8 | 58.0 | |
| 3 | Mr Eighty Eight | Joseph Burges | Dylan Gibbons | 3 | 56.0 |
The Interest
The on-pacers got control and it was a sprint home down the Rosehill straight. A few good runs from back in the pack including RADIOHEAD (held up, flew late) and JALMARI, who prefers a wet track and a bit of tempo in his races. Favourite SYRIAN STAR one of the better runs in the race after getting back early too.
Race 2 MIDWAY HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adios Steve | Nick Mitchell | Jason Collett | 14 | 56.5 | |
| 2 | Verbek | Robert & Luke Price | Blake Shinn | 6 | 55.5 | |
| 3 | Mayrose | John Sargent | Tyler Schiller | 2 | 59.5 |
The Interest
Some very unlucky horses in this race, none more so than the progressive KOTE who was locked up on the inside the entire straight. EITHER OAR and MAYROSE found some trouble too and weren't far away in the finish. CONCOCTED (ready for further now?) made his move early and OAKFIELD DUKE (didn't run out 1300m) gave him a bump out wider on the turn. The tempo was a good honest FAIR gallop.
Race 3 CLEANAWAY HANDICAP
slow tempo
: long sprint
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quality Time | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 4 | 54.5 | |
| 2 | Alcyone | James Cummings | Sam Clipperton | 1 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Hameron | Chris Waller | William Pike | 13 | 54.5 |
The Interest
There wasn't much tempo near pace and QUALITY TIME was in a great stalking position before exploding clear in the straight. Yet another Waller stayer on the rise and can go on from this to better grade now. ALCYONE ran well into a clear 2nd and HAMERON made good ground from the back. MAIN STAGE went too slow in the lead to suit the grinding types, which is he is one of.
Race 4 FURPHY COLIN STEPHEN QUALITY
slow tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grove Ferry | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 4 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | Cadre Du Noir | Ciaron Maher | James McDonald | 5 | 58.0 | |
| 3 | Herman Hesse | Ciaron Maher | Jason Collett | 1 | 54.0 |
The Interest
Tim Clark did well to settle GROVE FERRY off the slower tempo over 2400m and he sprinted best in the straight. There are still probably questions over his staying ability over 2400m though given this was no test of stamina. CADRE DU NOIR racing well and HERMEN HESSE looked unlucky, surging clear late after getting held up on the inside. FUN FACT went a touch slow in the lead for him.
Race 5 CITY TATTERSALLS GROUP HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finepoint | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 6 | 53.0 | |
| 2 | Sibaaq | Annabel Neasham | Tommy Berry | 12 | 57.0 | |
| 3 | Maurice's Medad | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 9 | 56.0 |
The Interest
A good honest fair gallop and nice rides on the progressive 4YOs FINEPOINT and MAURICE'S MEDAD saw them run very well in benchmark grade first-up. They are both horse that should progressive to black-type races this campaign. Big runs from SIBAAQ (back and wide) and ITA (too far back, ran on) also.
Race 6 PETALUMA HERITAGE STAKES
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economics | Annabel Neasham | Chad Schofield | 10 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | Opal Ridge | Luke Pepper | Brenton Avdulla | 1 | 54.0 | |
| 3 | Hawaii Five Oh | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tommy Berry | 4 | 56.0 |
The Interest
ECONOMICS was coiled up on-pace and he exploded down the Rosehill straight for a good win. He was a touch fresh and this was no test of stamina so he will need to show he can soak up pressure as he steps up in grade (or stays in same grade with more tempo). OPAL RIDGE continues to race well and she was unlucky after Avdulla made the wrong move at the top of the straight.
Race 7 RACING & SPORTS GOLDEN PENDANT
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nimalee | Matthew Smith | Regan Bayliss | 16 | 58.0 | |
| 2 | Palaisipan | Chris Munce | Damian Lane | 17 | 56.0 | |
| 3 | Pippali | Jason Coyle | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 54.0 |
The Interest
A nice ride to get the tough NIMALEE outside the lead and she fought hard in the finish. PALASIPAN very brave though after enduring a three wide run, a mare that paraded in perfect order and looks to have a big Spring ahead. STARTANTES the unlucky runner from the back. She was about to unleash through the pack before running into a brick wall 150m out.
Race 8 CHANDON GOLDEN ROSE STAKES
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacquinot | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Damian Lane | 5 | 56.5 | |
| 2 | In Secret | James Cummings | James McDonald | 3 | 54.5 | |
| 3 | Zou Tiger | John O'Shea | Ben Melham | 15 | 56.5 |
The Interest
James McDonald delivered the perfect ride on IN SECRET and he would have thought he had the Golden prize all parcelled up, but the superior horse JACQUINOT had enough time to balance up and charge down the outside. The son of Rubick was 6th in the Golden Slipper on wet ground and he seemed to relish the dry track today. Most others had their chance, FIREBURN running on well up the inside late and MILLANE finding a little bit of trouble in the straight and chasing OK.
Race 9 NED WHISKY SHANNON STAKES
slow tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surf Dancer | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 5 | 53.5 | |
| 2 | Old Flame | Peter & Paul Snowden | Tommy Berry | 7 | 53.5 | |
| 3 | Ellsberg | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Tim Clark | 1 | 58.5 |
The Interest
ELLSBERG perhaps went a little too slow in the lead leaving the fresh horse SURF DANCER to sprint home best from a fame OLD FLAME. ELLSBERG very honest in third and KIRWAN'S LANE showed he likes a dry Rosehill track again.
Race 10 IRRESISTIBLE POOLS & SPAS HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fox Fighter | David Payne | Sam Clipperton | 9 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | Winning Verse | Marc Conners | Joshua Parr | 14 | 55.5 | |
| 3 | Spiranac | Rodney Northam | Reece Jones | 10 | 60.0 |
The Interest
There was some pressure on paper in this race and that's the way it worked out. TRISTATE the horse left wide with no cover and WINNING VERSE was strong from outside the lead. FOX FIGHTER found his right set-up, drier ground and a trail right up until the 300m mark. He can peak on his run if exposed too early.