Yard to the Post | Golden Slipper Day

Race Day: Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, 19 March 2022


A historic day of racing at Rosehill Gardens today with world class performances, exciting finishes and racing fairy tales highlighting the ten-race card.

It was the Group One Galaxy that gave us our fairy tale as SHELBY SIXTYSIX backed up for the fifth week in a row to win at the highest level after getting beaten in a TAB Highway in February. Country trainer Danny Williams was in disbelief after the race and there are now calls for the five-year-old son of Toronado to get a spot in The Everest later this year.

The best performances of the day came from FIREBURN (Golden Slipper), ANAMOE (Rosehill Guineas) and MONTEFILIA (Ranvet). FIREBURN came from an almost impossible position to win the $5 million feature by 2.4 lengths going away, ANAMOE destroyed his three-year-old rivals by 6.6L and MONTEFILIA sprinted too well for champion VERRY ELLEEGANT to cause the day’s biggest upset.

A full review of the day is provided below.



Track Info

Rail+2 metres
ConditionsHEAVY 9
WeatherOVERCAST
BiasFAIR, nearer inside on turn and front half of field preferred

Race 1 MIDWAY HANDICAP

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Achira Lee & Cherie Curtis Robbie Dolan 2 52.0
2 Fantastic Baby Adam Duggan Tyler Schiller 1 59.5
3 Lord Heron Allan Kehoe Hugh Bowman 12 58.0

In The Yard

Most presented well in Race 1, ALWAYS SURE a touch warm pre race as was AMERICANA MAGIC. FANTASTIC BABY presented well early in his preparation, with winner ACHIRA still with fitness improvement to come as she continues her preparation.

The Interest

The inside ground played well from Race 1 and ACHIRA backed-up an eye-catching first-up run with a tough win. FANTASTIC BABY very strong first-up too. Perhaps the run of the race was another fresh horse MAHAGONI though. The import was jagged back to the tail of the field before producing a big finish out wider against the pattern of the day.


Race 2 IRRESISTIBLE POOLS DARBY MUNRO STAKES

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Mazu Joseph Pride Sam Clipperton 1 58.5
2 Bacchanalia James Cummings Nash Rawiller 13 58.0
3 Smirnova Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes William Pike 10 54.0

In The Yard

MAZU continues to improve deeper into his preparation, focused and professional in the yard. BACCHANALIA presented with fitness improvement to come first-up, SMIRNOVA and MINSK MOMENT both warm pre-race.

The Interest

MAZU got the box seat run, the split came at the top of the straight and he was much too classy for these. Slight excuses for BACCHANALIA (wide) and SMIRNOVA (keen), who would have been a bit closer if all had gone their way. SHIHONKA not bad running on out wider (pattern against).


Race 3 QUEEN'S CUP (N E MANION CUP)

fair tempo : long sprint

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 No Compromise Chris Waller Jay Ford 13 53.5
2 Surefire Chris Waller Sam Clipperton 5 53.0
3 Chalk Stream Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 14 53.0

In The Yard

Most parading well with no obvious knocks. NO COMPROMISE holding good condition deep into his preparation, as is LUNCIES. ZEYREK still with fitness improvement to come, while CHALKS STREAM and SUREFIRE both presented in good order.

The Interest

NO COMPROMISE jumped better than usual and was stuck 5th 3W NC early, Jay Ford then electing to work up to settle 2nd 2W NC rather than go back. Much was made of the fact there was no riding announcement made to go forward. Stewards questioned Jay Ford and Chris Waller post-race and were happy that Jay Ford didn't intend to race on-pace from the jump. In the end it was a deserving win after ZEYREK had loomed strongly at the top of the straight in what as a LONG SPRINT home from the turn. SUREFIRE and CHALK STREAM (wide) both very impressive Sydney Cup runs.


Race 4 BISLEY WORKWEAR EPONA STAKES

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Monegal Theresa Bateup Ms Rachel King 8 54.0
2 Nerve Not Verve Michael Moroney William Pike 6 54.0
3 Feel The Rush Ciaron Maher Ms Linda Meech 11 54.0

In The Yard

Mares all paraded well with no obvious knocks in the mounting yard. MONEGAL a touch warm pre-race, but not going over the top. LE LUDE an improver between the runs, as was HARMONY ROSE who both stripped fitter. GALAXY BELLE a lightly framed galloper, similar to BEDFORD SQUARE.

The Interest

There was enough pressure on-pace to test LE LUDE at 1900m and while HARMONY ROSE copped a bad check on the turn, her final 200m was only fair. That left the in-form MONEGAL to pounce for the win in conditions she relishes. NERVE NOT VERVE and FEEL THE RUSH (stuck wide) both rock solid too.


Race 5 RANVET STAKES

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Montefilia Chris Waller Jason Collett 2 57.0
2 Verry Elleegant Chris Waller James McDonald 4 57.0
3 Angel of Truth Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes William Pike 5 59.0

In The Yard

MONTEFILIA a much more mature mare this time around, perfect in the yard. VERRY ELLEEGANT solid again, holding good condition. ANGEL OF TRUTH and ENTENTE both presented with fitness improvement to come as they continue their preparation.

The Interest

It was a small tactical field and perhaps there wasn't enough pressure for the great mare VERRY ELLEEGANT, but it's hard to take anything away from MONTEFILIA after she sprinted brilliantly and held a clear 2L margin on the $1.24 favourite. Both horses have strengthened and matured as they aged. Hopefully we've witnessed the coming off age of a new Group One star. The Queen Elizabeth will be the test of that.


Race 6 SKY RACING ACTIVE ROSEHILL GUINEAS

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Anamoe James Cummings James McDonald 9 56.5
2 Converge Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 8 56.5
3 Forgot You Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Mark Zahra 4 56.5

In The Yard

A big watch on ANAMOE in the parade, and he was perfect. A strong galloper, who had made good fitness improvement was on his best behaviour, and avoided getting warm pre-race. PROFONDO still very fresh early in his campaign, presenting big in condition. CONVERGE, FORGOT YOU and SINBA all with solid parades.

The Interest

The testing ground and a more aggressive ride left nothing to chase this time, the star colt ANAMOE breaking clear of the pack for a massive win. He just laid in a touch back to the rails late in what was an otherwise perfect performance. CONVERGE no match to 2000m on HEAVY. PROFONDO not behaving well this prep at all.


Race 7 THE AGENCY GEORGE RYDER STAKES

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Forbidden Love Michael Freedman Hugh Bowman 2 57.0
2 Colette James Cummings James McDonald 3 57.0
3 Laws Of Indices Annabel Neasham Mark Zahra 11 58.5

In The Yard

Improved parade from FORBIDDEN LOVE deep into her preparation, still holding good condition and not getting as warm as she is can be pre-race. COLETTE and LAWS OF INDICES both presented with fitness improvement still to come, both a little anxious pre-race and getting warm. PRIVATE EYE worked up pre-race with a double handler. HILAL and DALASAN rock solid in the yard.

The Interest

FORBIDDEN LOVE is relishing the wet tracks and she kicked clear for another strong win. COLETTE, LAWS OF INDICES and BANKERS CHOICE (out wider) all ran well. PRIVATE EYE perhaps not quite up to this level at Weight-for-Age yet.


Race 8 LONGINES GOLDEN SLIPPER

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Fireburn Gary Portelli Brenton Avdulla 2 54.5
2 Best Of Bordeaux Kacy Fogden Sam Clipperton 10 56.5
3 Coolangatta Ciaron Maher James McDonald 14 54.5

In The Yard

Most paraded well in the Golden Slipper with the two-year olds on their best behaviour. COOLANGATTA forward and ready to go first up from a break, FIREDBURN a touch warm pre-race up on her toes. REVOLUTIONARY MISS and JACQUINOT both solid in the yard, ready and focused. No knocks on SEJARDEN and DAUMIER who both presented well. RUSSIAN CONQUEST a touch unsettled on a big occasion.

The Interest

What a race! Most found their spots early with LADY LAGUNA stuck 2nd 3W NC and SEVEN VEILS working into the trailing spot out wider, both behind the rolling leader BEST OF BORDEAUX, who created plenty of drama when Sam Clipperton cut back to the rails a bit too early. A concertina effect resulted with SWEET RIDE (box seat) then getting onto the heels of SHE'S EXTREME and FIREBURN behind her. FIREBURN was on the point of a turn at the time and skewed sideways, contacting SEJARDAN, who had her in a very tight spot. The filly lost a couple of lengths and seemingly her chance to win. But even that couldn't stop Gary Portelli's line-finding daughter of Rebel Dane. She picked herself up, charged through the inside and won going away. SHE'S EXTREME probably unlucky not to run 2nd after getting blocked badly late. Lots of the others unlucky to hit a genuine HEAVY track on grand final day.


Race 9 FURPHY GALAXY

steady tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Shelby Sixtysix Danny Williams Robbie Dolan 4 52.5
2 Big Parade Joseph Pride Joshua Parr 9 57.5
3 In The Congo Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tommy Berry 2 56.0

In The Yard

No obvious knocks in the Group 1 Galaxy. BIG PARADE, IN THE CONGO and ISOTOPE all forward in condition and shining the yard first - up from a spell. A much-improved parade from PAULELE who made good improvement between runs and didn’t sweat up pre-race. SHELBY SIXTYSIX rock solid in the yard, as was OVERPASS and AWAY GAME.

The Interest

A racing story that won't be matched in our lifetimes. SHELBY SIXTYSIX backed up for the fifth week in a row and scored his first G1 after running second in a TAB Highway Class 3 at the end of February. He's an impressive galloper with plenty of strength and power, but he has had some feet issues in the past. Regular racing on soft ground has been the secret and who knows where he go from here. A surprisingly STEADY tempo in a G1 sprint and the horses near pace got a few favours. SHELBY deserved the win running on from midfield. Excuses to OVERPASS (blocked, tightened), who might have won if he got clear on the inside. The favourite ISOTOPE wide and very plain on the wet track.


Race 10 TAB BIRTHDAY CARD STAKES

fair tempo

Place Silk Horse Trainer Jockey Gate Kgs
1 Emanate James Cummings Sam Clipperton 2 53.5
2 Marboosha Peter & Paul Snowden Tommy Berry 11 57.5
3 Steinem Ciaron Maher James McDonald 12 58.0

In The Yard

STEINEM presented with fitness improvement to come first-up into her preparation. MALLORY and MARBOOSHA both good improvers between runs parading at peak fitness. No knocks on EMANATE, with RUBY TUESDAY big in condition first-up this preparation.

The Interest

An enormous win from EMANATE. She has done this before at Rosehill Gardens when getting a nice trail off an honest tempo in wet ground. MARBOOSHA better in clear running and she might improve again if she gets to chase an honest tempo. NICCI'S FLING unlucky not to run a place after getting held up for most of the straight.



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