Selections, best bets and value plays from Chris Scholtz for the Rosehill meeting on October 2 plus Trial Watch including Sydney 2YO Trials.
ROSEHILL October 2
Soft 5; Rail 7m entire
For Value
RACE 1: (13) GREAT WHITE SHARK
RACE 2: (11) PANTOJA
Selections
RACE 1: (13) GREAT WHITE SHARK; (11) Extreme Diva; (7)The Three Hundred; (1) California Bay
RACE 2: (9) PANTOJA; (11); Aye Aye Captain; (8) Just Think Twice; (16) Straand Beauty
RACE 3: (4) NEWFOUNDLAND; (6) Karmazone; (5) Fun Sunday; (8) Whisker To Whisker
RACE 4: (2) CAPTAIN MAVERICK; (4) Jon Bon; (8) Mistertkipchoge; (1) Kadavar
RACE 5: (1) NEED SOME LUCK; (8) Etincelle; (5) Fury; (4) Ravenclaw
RACE 6: (10) MAKENA; (11) Wembanyama; (8) Piercing Arrow; 12) Getafix
RACE 7: (10) MERGEILA; (4) Pippie Beach; (16) Dances With Hooves; (9) Waterville
TRIAL WATCH REPORT
NOTED TRIAL RUNNERS – October 2
ROSEHILL WEDNESDAY: Straand Beauty (R2); Fury (R5); Just Think Twice (R2); Aye Aye Captain (R2); Pantoja (R2); Smart Legend (R5)
KEMBLA GRANGE THURSDAY: Apollo Ridge (R4); Effleure (R5); Super Zippi (R6); Supairo (R6)
MORUYA FRIDAY: Alicia Roma (R4)
RANDWICK SATURDAY: Pleasure Artist (R4); Giga Kick (R7); Think About It (R7); Kovalica (R9); Corniche (R10)
NEWCASTLE SATURDAY: Supairo; Emery; Oakfield Badger; Bremel; Micro Magic; Super Zippi; Hardhead; Iowna Benz; Inoue
FLEMINGTON SATURDAY: King Of Sparta; Bodyguard
RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: Force Red; Broadsiding; Swift Falcon; Creek; Zoubaby; Amelita; Ellipsis; Sunshine In Paris; Lady Shenandoah; Traffic Warden; Dashing Rupert; Opal Fields; Royal Patronage; Watch My Girl; Deconstruction; Briasa; Storm Boy; Asuriita; Last Command; Spirit Of Wealth; Countyourblessings; Kimochi; Via Sistina; Ameena; Joliestar
BREEDERS PLATE/GIMCRACK STAKES TRIAL GUIDE
RANDWICK 2YO TRIALS (850m) - September 23
HEAT 1 (C & G): The winner TUSCANY (Zoustar) cost $1.5 million and looks the part, being an imposing chestnut with plenty of strength. James McDonald allowed him to find his legs, covering ground four lengths off the lead at the 500m before responding well when called on over the last 250m to reel in the leaders and post the equal fastest heat time (49.11; 33.75). His margin at the finish was only a half length but there was a lot to like about the extension in his action and he will take plenty of benefit from the experience.
HEAT 2 (Fillies): The winner MEMO (Capitalist) impressed coming from six lengths off the lead at the 500m for a dominant 1.5 lengths win (49.33; 33.45) She was taken widest and showed good racing manners sprinting to the line. The runner up AUTUMN BLONDE was briefly held up taking a split at the 200m and finished off nicely when balanced.
HEAT 3 (C & G): Plenty of merit in the win by KING KIRK (Ole Kirk). Railed through to third before coming off the back of the leaders at the 200m and sprinting to the line under a ride to score by a half length. Slower overall time (49.57; 33.32) but his last 600m was the fastest closing sectional of the eight heats.
HEAT 4 (Fillies): The slowest heat of the morning (50.02; 33.69) with STRADA VARENNA (Street Boss) finishing over the top after being eager to run behind a line of four coming to the turn. She needed clear air and lengthened nicely when she got clear running at the 200m.The eye catcher was the Trapeze Artist filly TUPAKARA making strong ground from last under a soft ride to finish fourth.
HEAT 5 (C & G): Like the form in this heat. The flashy chestnut TEMPESTUOUS led on the bit and travelled easily with the winner RAGING FORCE (Cosmic Force) tracking along the fence behind the pace. He looked a real professional driving along the rail over the last 100m for a strong win to score by a half length (49.44; 33.43) while TEMPESTUOUS was given an easy time over the last 50m. RIPLEY also impressed finding the line nicely for third after covering ground. .
HEAT 6 (Fillies): Good fillies heat in the equal fastest time of the session (49.11; 33.40). Racy filly O' OLE (Ole Kirk) had impressed in jumpouts and showed she is a natural runner by bounding to a clear lead from the barrier. Travelled easily but came under some pressure over the last 100m and needed a flick or two with the whip to find the line. She only had a neck to spare at the finish from the impressive runner up BEL MERCI, who closed off under a kind ride from four lengths off the lead at the 600m after she was eased back from a wide gate. She was stronger through the line than the winner.
HEAT 7 (C & G): Stylish Farnan colt NORTH ENGLAND recorded one of the easiest wins of the session (49.43; 33.43). He's a natural runner who did it at both ends, speeding through his first 600m with company before responding well when called on at the 300m by Tim Clark to break away and coast to the line.
HEAT 8 (Fillies): Impressive work by ICARIAN DREAM (Blue Point) to win the trial with plenty in hand in a time comparable to the better heats (49.43; 33.38). She was allowed to find her legs in the first 200m and travelled easily into the trial on the turn under a good hold. Never came off the bit to get the upper hand and could have won by a bigger margin than her three quarters of a length if asked for a serious effort.
TRIAL POINTERS
CANTERBURY September 24: Crack sprinter GIGA KICK continued his preparation for a second win in The Everest with an impressive trial win. Everything about his last to first win in his 901m heat confirmed that he had taken immense benefit from his first-up fifth in the Concorde at Randwick when he was having his first start back from an enforced break of 12 months. James McDonald was content to let his rivals run from the barrier, riding GIGA KICK with no urgency to settle at the rear under a strong hold. While his rivals were a long way short of Everest quality his class came to the fore over the last 200m as he surged down the outside to score by a head without McDonald applying any serious pressure. He posted a good time (54.88; 34.13) and it was hard to miss his work after the line as was full of running for another 200m. Group winner CORNICHE is another set for a good spring after responding well to get the better of last year's Everest winner THINK ABOUT IT in their 901m heat (55.02; 34.26). THINK ABOUT IT sat outside the leader and trialled in his usual strong manner to be beaten only a head with G2 winner KING OF SPARTA doing his best work late for a closing third.
HAWKESBURY September 17: Bjorn Baker's unraced maidens IOWNA BENZ and HARDHEAD are ready to make the mark when they go to the races.
ROSEHILL September 16: I Am Invincible colt BODYGUARD was a classy dual winner last season and made an impressive return in his first trial since March, running to a clear lead under a hold from Tommy Berry before sprinting away over the last 200m with a quick closing sectional to win his 1030m heat by more than six lengths (62.81; 34.48). It wasn't the quickest heat over the distance but said plenty about his spring prospects. The unraced INOUE continues to enhance his reputation with his third win in four trials since February, leading easily to post the quickest time in the three heats over 1030m (62.73; 35.28).
RANDWICK Sept 9: In the black type heat over 1000m none of the runners were put under any pressure with only 2.5 lengths covering the six runners across the line. THINK ABOUT IT'S effort was typical of his trials, doing all that was required to finish third. There were numerous good efforts In the A grass trials, the most notable being KING OF SPARTA, PANTOJA and SMART LEGEND.
ROSEHILL September 5: Unraced Winning Rupert filly IOWNA BENZ breezed to a five lengths win in the fastest 900m heat (53.58; 34.51), improving on two previous trials to run to a clear lead after 200m and maintain her advantage under no pressure. She's ready for a suitable maiden. BREMEL is a maiden heat winner with good prospects.
RANDWICK August 30: I have been waiting for unraced Shalaa gelding INOUE to reappear since two impressive trials last season. Strong bodied 3YO with plenty of natural talent evident as he cruised through his 740m heat (43.57; 32.97) with ease, extending like a good horse under no pressure over the last 300m.
WARWICK FARM August 27: Some very quick heat winners in the short course trials included the fast runners SUPER ZIPPI and MICRO MAGIC.
RANDWICK February 22: Among the 2YOs to make an impression in their trials was the Snowden-trained heat winner INOUE (737m – 43.53; 33.66).
BLACKBOOK REPORT
ELIGIBLE BLACKBOOK RUNNERS – October 2
Nil
BLACKBOOKERS – Selected September 27-28
(Follow for next 3 starts)
CLIMBING STAR; PHARARI; RIOT AND ROSE; SCHEELITE; TAVI TIME
RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: First Light; Naval Trader; Moravia; Aviatress; Unlimited; Sunshine In Paris; Unusual Legacy; Spring Lee; Ceolwulf; The Englishman; Boom Torque; Kundalini; Daytona; Hellavadancer; Yorkshire; Amigo; House Of Cards; Shiny New Deel; Invader Zim; Rogue Bear; Piastri; Madame Odette; Kapakiri