Midway Handicap Tips (Race 3)
Rosehill Favourite - Race 3 No. 11 Gorgeous
There was a lot more merit to the debut victory back in January than the margin indicates, with Gorgeous doing plenty wrong and not having many favours, but still getting the job done before a spell.
After going down as an odds-on favourite first-up at Hawkesbury, she was still on the fresh side when contesting the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone on May 16.
Gorgeous was absolutely luckless in that attempt when held up for most of the run home.
Considering that, she did very well to get within two lengths of the winner.
It is easy to love the three-year-old profile at Midway level, which admittedly many here have, including the talented Ice Kool, although he has drawn out and may instead contest Race 7 if gaining a start there.
Ranvet Handicap Tips (Race 6)
Rosehill Roughie - Race 6 No. 7 I’ve Bean Tryin’
Although we are going back a while to find it, I’ve Bean Tryin’ has saluted in this grade and also been competitive in stronger company.
The Canberra-based galloper was able to break a long drought in September and was then spelled after a subsequent Warwick Farm miss.
While the recent form does not read all that well, both May efforts were encouraging.
The gelding was completely unsuited first-up on May 5 and then did his best work late second-up at Newcastle, despite still carrying weight after the claim and being set a task.
The big positive here is the conditions, with I’ve Bean Tryin’ boasting four wins and two placings from seven Heavy-track attempts, while the extra 100m is ideal third-up.
Vale Peter Taylor Handicap Tips (Race 7)
Rosehill Next Best Bet - Race 7 No. 12 Big Papa
Bjorn Baker appears to have a really progressive horse in Big Papa, who was a debut winner at Bathurst last winter, which is common placement for these learning types from the stable.
The gelding was spelled straight away and returned to make it two-from-two in a Hawkesbury BM64 on November 27.
That has proven a handy form race, while Big Papa would have been better for the experience in two subsequent runs.
One of those efforts came when third behind Plaintiff, who was a Group 3 winner at her following start, while the Brisbane trip away also should have done him good after being respected in the market for that Group 3 dominated by Ninja.
Both recent trials have been encouraging, while Ice Kool also has to be included if he gains a start, as another talented three-year-old, and these youngsters could have this race at their mercy.
Lord Mayors Cup Tips (Race 9)
Rosehill Best Bet - Race 9 No. 4 Zambardo
This looks the ideal race for Zambardo to bounce back in, with the rise to 2000m and a kinder draw both major positives for Saturday’s third-up assignment.
The four-year-old was completely unsuited by both the track pattern and bias when resuming at Randwick on April 18.
Forgive that effort, and he was more prominent in The Coast at Gosford despite again being set a task from a wide barrier.
Zambardo probably wins that $500,000 feature with any favours after recording the fastest final 200m of the entire program.
He progressed quickly last spring and rounded out that campaign with a second placing in the Group 1 Champions Stakes behind Via Sistina, while beating home multiple Group 1 winners on a Heavy 9 surface.
Denham Carter Handicap Tips (Race 10)
Rosehill Value Bet - Race 10 No. 13 Applaud
The son of Deep Field came on quickly last campaign when saluting over this distance and grade at a big price at Kembla Grange.
While not as explosive on firmer ground in three subsequent efforts, Applaud still remained competitive at this level carrying bigger weights than he receives for Saturday’s resumption.
The four-year-old drops to 54kg after Mitch Stapleford’s claim, which is half a kilogram less than he carried in that Kembla Grange metro victory.
It is pretty clear that wet ground is the key to this Peter Snowden-trained galloper, who has won both attempts on Heavy ground and whose only other two prior victories both came on Soft tracks.
Six furlongs proved the sweet spot both last winter and first-up in November, while Applaud is also tactically versatile.