Yard to the Post | Winter Challenge Day

Race Day: Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, 27 July 2019


A rare day of firm track winter racing at Rosehill Gardens today and there were some impressive wins to enjoy. 

Waller's flying filly LUCICELLO stormed past them to win the two-year-old event over 1,200 metres, setting herself up for a tilt at some of the upcoming three-year-old features early in the season. She's an athletic type that could enjoy the longer distances even more.

The biggest win of the day came later in what looked like a plain staying race for the BM 78 gallopers. Import OUR CANDIDATE rocketed up the inside and put 4.3 lengths on the favourite ILWENDO in the twinkling of an eye. Owned by the Australian Bloodstock syndicate, his form was only fair in the UK so plenty of credit goes to trainer Kris Lees.

SEAWAY won the feature Winter Challenge over 1,500 metres and STELLA SEA SUN fought hard to beat CONNEMARA in a fierce battle between two in-form mares. Later in the day, BON AMIS bounced back to his best over the 1,100 metres at his favourite track.

A full review is provided below.



Track Info

Rail+6 metres
ConditionsGOOD 4
WeatherFINE
BiasFAIR (inside quite good)

Race 1 ASX REFINITIV CHARITY FOUNDATION HANDICAP

Waller's flying filly takes another step

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Lucicello Chris Waller Tommy Berry 5 55.0
2 Not Feint Hearted Gary Portelli Ms Samantha Clenton 3 56.5
3 Belitsa Cody Morgan Christian Reith 1 55.5

In The Running

VIVARO jumped very well and took up the running at a FAIR tempo.

The Result

LUCICELLO (1st) ran home strongly from the back and surged clear late, beating NOT FEINT HEARTED (2nd 2.3L), who was a clear 2nd ahead of the chasing BELISTA (3rd 4.6L) and SATIN SOCKS (4th 4.8L).

The Interest

Waller has this filly flying and she should be even better over 1400m+ on conformation, breeding and racing style. NOT FEINT HEARTED put a margin on the rest.


Race 2 TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 3 PLATE

fair tempo : early pressure

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Pat's Nipper Cody Morgan Hugh Bowman 9 59.0
2 Black Wand Kurt Goldman Sam Clipperton 7 57.5
3 Scarlet Missile Stirling Osland Brock Ryan 6 54.0


Race 3 REFINITIV HANDICAP

In-form mares fight to the finish

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Stella Sea Sun Kris Lees Brenton Avdulla 2 57.0
2 Connemara Bjorn Baker Jay Ford 3 58.5
3 Moccasin Miss Gary Portelli Ms Rachel King 5 52.5

In The Running

MOCCASIN MISS took up the running at a STEADY tempo only.

The Result

STELLA SEA SUN (1st) and CONNEMARA (2nd 0.2L) challenged gamely from just behind the leaders, MOCCASIN MISS (3rd 1.2L) fighting on back near the rails.

The Interest

A clear margin to the top three and the top two can be followed in the future, both mares in form. Don't be too harsh on MALEA MAGIC (4th 2.7L) who was on heels mid-race and out-sprinted, she found the line OK.


Race 4 PRO IT HANDICAP

The fox sneaks in with a light weight

fair tempo : long sprint

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Foxy Housewife Joseph Pride Ms Rachel King 2 52.0
2 Fortensky Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 3 57.5
3 Gresham Chris Waller Sam Weatherley 1 59.5

In The Running

GRESHAM took up the running at a FAIR tempo with MAPMAKER on his outside. The leader kicked early on the turn, setting up a FAIR tempo with a LONG SPRINT home.

The Result

FOXY HOUSEWIFE (1st) ran home best from midfield, beating home FORTENSKY (2nd 1.8L) and GRESHAM (3rd 2L).

The Interest

A nice honest gallop and just 52kg helped FOXY HOUSEWIFE get the win in a plain BM 88 race. Not too much to mention, ROYAL TUDOR (6th 5.8L) missing the start and way back and RIVER BIRD (4th 3.3L) probably better in the wet.


Race 5 ROBB REPORT HANDICAP

A prime candidate for the upcoming staying features

steady tempo : long sprint

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Our Candidate Kris Lees Brenton Avdulla 12 55.0
2 Ilwendo Matthew Smith Tim Clark 5 56.0
3 High Power Kris Lees Nash Rawiller 10 56.5

In The Running

JAKE'S HILL pushed forward to lead, setting a STEADY tempo with a LONG SPRINT home as the pressure went on coming into the turn. HAND IT IN was squeezed at the jump and worked hard to get outside the leader.

The Result

OUR CANDIDATE (1st) quickened up the inside from the back and powered clear for an impressive win. ILWENDO (2nd 4.3L) solid to the line out wider with HIGH POWER (3rd 4.7L) chasing OK too.

The Interest

Wow! This was an incredible win. OUR CANDIDATE a son of Camelot showing big upside in Australia. His form in the UK was only fair, well-beaten by Desert Path and Supernova back in 2018, but judging by this he could step up to black-type company soon. KAAPFEVER (7th 6.7L) had the same form-line as him and was unlucky not to challenge for a place when blocked late. ILWENDO solid enough.


Race 6 NEXT TELECOM HANDICAP

Fresh is best in this 'sit and sprint'

slow tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Ligulate Cody Morgan Ms Samantha Clenton 6 58.5
2 Blazing Lee & Cherie Curtis Ms Kathy O'Hara 4 58.0
3 My Demetra Peter & Paul Snowden Ms Cejay Graham 3 56.0

In The Running

MY DEMETRA took up the lead when no others wanted to with BLAZING up on-pace too, only a SLOW tempo set up. DAME KIRI was 3W NC near the pace.

The Result

LIGULATE (1st) powered home best from midfield to catch the leaders BLAZING (2nd 0.8L) and MY DEMETRA (3rd 1L). FRONT SIGHT (4th 1.1L) and WIMLAH (5th 2.6L) ran on well.

The Interest

LIGULATE produced a powerful sprint here fresh to win following some fair form down in Melbourne. WIMLAH just as good as the winner storming home from the back, the tempo was much too slow for him to have a chance from back there.


Race 7 MALDIVES TRAVEL CONNECTION WINTER CHALLENGE

Luck in running wins the feature race

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Seaway Chris Waller Tommy Berry 11 54.5
2 Goodfella Bjorn Baker Brenton Avdulla 9 54.0
3 Eckstein Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 5 59.0

In The Running

CRADLE MOUNTAIN worked across to lead with SEAWAY working forward too. Once there they controlled a STEADY tempo with NEW TIPPERARY 3W NC midfield.

The Result

SEAWAY (1st) took over on the turn and fought hard to hold off GOODFELLA (2nd 0.3L), who got going from near the pace on the turn too. ECKSTEIN (3rd 0.5L) ran on well from midfield.

The Interest

There wasn't much between these on paper and the difference was position in run. SEAWAY and GOODFELLA are tough types that can sustain their run, both finding themselves building momentum beautifully on the turn. ECKSTEIN very strong from midfield and GAULOIS (4th 0.8L) good out wide from the back. Don't be too harsh on STAMPEDE (10th 4.6L), who might be ready for 2000m on wet ground now, he kept on the last 50 metres.


Race 8 PRECISE AIR HANDICAP

This bonny sprinter loves to win

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Bon Amis Jason Deamer Hugh Bowman 7 58.0
2 Goldfinch Steve Englebrecht Ms Deanne Panya 9 52.0
3 Taniko James Cummings Tommy Berry 12 53.0

In The Running

GOLDFINCH took up the running and didn't have much pressure, a STEADY tempo set up with BON AMIS right on the pace.

The Result

BON AMIS (1st) kicked home best to win by a clear margin from GOLDFINCH (2nd 1.5L) and TANIKO (3rd 1.7L), who flew home down the outside.

The Interest

The ever-reliable BON AMIS returned to form here after getting stuck on the inside in the wet last start, he loves a GOOD Rosehill track. TANIKO impressive from the back and YOU MAKE ME SMILE shaped up nicely to the line and will improve second-up after racing keenly here.


Race 9 PACIFIC BOATING HANDICAP

The leader gets the luck and wins

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Catesby Damien Lane Ms Samantha Clenton 13 59.0
2 Deity James Cummings Hugh Bowman 12 57.5
3 Prime Candidate Bjorn Baker Tim Clark 10 58.0

In The Running

CATESBY was urged across to lead and controlled a STEADY tempo from PRIME CANDIDATE and DEITY (3W NC).

The Result

CATESBY (1st) kicked on well to beat DEITY (2nd 0.8L) fighting on gamely and PRIME CANDIDATE (3rd 1L) right in the finish too. RARE EPISODE (4th 1.2L) a bit tight on the inside and OXFORD TYCOON (5th 2L) never got clear.

The Interest

You have to say that OXFORD TYCOON was ever so unlucky here and should have got the win. A few other OK runs in the race, RARE EPISODE a touch tight on the inside and DEITY tried hard after getting stuck wide. CATESBY solid, but perhaps he was the 3rd or 4th best run in the race.



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