3 minute read
Chris Scholtz previews the Winter Challenge meeting at Rosehill on July 24 plus Trial Watch and Blackbookers.
ROSEHILL July 24
Best Bets
RACE 3: (6) Black Bolt (EW)
RACE 4: (5) All Time Legend
RACE 7: (5) Kirwan's Lane (EW)
For Value
RACE 1: (4) Coastwatch
RACE 5: (10) Sound Of Cannons
RACE 8: (10) Too Good To Be True
RACE 1: 4-3-6-2
RACE 2: 2-12-3-11
RACE 3: 5-8-6-7
RACE 4: 5-1-6-7
RACE 5: 10-1-2-6
RACE 6: 8-2-1-9
RACE 7: 5-3-4-8
RACE 8: 10-1-3-12
RACE 9: 6-10-4-1
RACE 10: 3-9-8-6
ROSEHILL MULTI
RACE 3 (5) BLACK BOLT: Well placed to progress from his first-up placing under a big weight over 1300m at Hawkesbury when he had legitimate excuses, being held up and forced to make his run on the adverse rails ground. Has missed a place only once in seven starts and the step up to 1500m on an improving track with Regan Bayliss, his rider in a previous win, back in the saddle are all positives.
RACE 4 (5) ALL TIME LEGEND: It's all about the potential of this lightly raced 4YO who is looking for his sixth win in 10 starts and his third from four first-up attempts. The 1100m suits him fresh and the small field should allow Kerrin McEvoy to have him well placed under his light weight from the jump. The way he found the line under a cold ride in a recent trial says veteran trainer Les Bridge has him ready to perform first-up.
RACE 7 (5) KIRWAN'S LANE: Easy to make a case for most runners in this even field but counting on this very fit gelding to produce the form that saw him win in fast time over this course and distance under 56.5kg in May. Nothing wrong with his two subsequent starts and he's sure to appreciate returning to this course from his last start in Melbourne where he was beaten less than two lengths in the Listed Winter Championship over 1600m at Flemington. He's won four races on Sydney tracks since last August and one more will put him top of the NSW metro wins list for the season.
BLACKBOOK REPORT
Eligible Blackbook Runners – July 24
DOOMBEN SATURDAY: Ziemba (R9)
ROSEHILL SATURDAY: Chat (R4); Countofmontecristo (R7); Ziegfeld (R7); Ashim (R8)
CAULFIELD SATURDAY: Maserartie Bay (R1)
Blackbookers – Selected July 17
(Follow for next 3 starts)
BADOOSH: Would have gone close with better luck.
SUPER EFFORT: Ran into traffic at the wrong time. Going well.
HANDSPUN: Strong first-up placing. Sure to benefit.
LINDHOUT: Certain to appreciate a strong rider.
MR WONG: Should be profitable for his new stable.
RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: Kutayha; Furrion; Criminal Code; Blondeau; La Chevalee; Our Playboy; Harpo Marx; Montez; Tycoonist; Matowatakpe; Royal Crown; Garoppolo; Zing; The Astrologist; Stockman; Tofane.
TRIAL WATCH REPORT
Noted Trial Runners July 24-25
ROSEHILL SATURDAY: Picarones (R1); Coastwatch (R1); Trumbull (R4); Gaulois (R4); Barbaric (R4); Rifles (R4); Maddi Rocks (R6); Sambro (R7); Smart Image (R9); Tony Be (R9); Frosty Rocks (R10); Dream Circle (R10); Bigboyroy (R10);
CAULFIELD SATURDAY: Brave Song (R8)
GOSFORD SUNDAY: Tocomah (R2); Warmth (R3); Roam Free (R3); Conglomerate (R4); Bojack (R6); Isalute (R6)
RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: Brigantine; Laurelin; Sealion; Larkspur Run; Full Coverage; Concocted; Perlant; King Of Sparta; Formeinaway; Rupertaar; Madam Legend; Rubinocchi; Minsk Moment; Eight Diamonds; Lake Kastoria; Syzgy Stars; Stonesthrow; Huesca.
TRIAL POINTERS
HAWKESBURY July 19: Maiden filly TOCOMAH underlined that she has the speed to win races with her easy victory in the fastest 800m heat (46.35; 32.62).
ROSEHILL July 16: The normally free running FROSTY ROCKS was eased in the first 200m to sit behind the impressive winner WRITTEN BEAUTY in the fastest 900m heat was throttled down late to hold second.
RANDWICK July 9: Accomplished sprinter BRAVE SONG was too classy for his rivals in the open heat over 1200m, leading easily and striding away for a soft 5.2 lengths win (75.73; 35.42). The Snowden team have given him two trials and he is ready to run boldly when produced in a suitable sprint. I suspect the Snowden team would prefer to run him on a good track. WARMTH, an unraced 3YO filly by Hinchinbrook, has obvious prospects as she had plenty in hand matching the five-time winner BIG PARADE over the last 200m in a fast 735m heat with more than four lengths to the third horse.
GOSFORD July 5: Star of the show – again – was the class act TRUMBULL. He's always a risk from the gates but this time he jumped a lot better than his prior trial at Wyong, coming out almost on terms before settling six lengths back on the inside. When Tommy Berry angled between horses at the 400m he picked them up in a couple of strides and worked well within himself to cruise to a soft 1.5 lengths win the fastest 1000m heat (62.00; 37.59). BOJACK put the best time on the board in the open 800m heats (49.06; 36.74), but he was under pressure over the last 200m in the deteriorating ground late in the session.
CANTERBURY July 2: BIGBOYROY worked strongly under a grip to finish third in his 900m heat in his first appearance since December. He has since won a Rosehill trial on July 16. The 3YO heats over 890m featured a strong win by the former New Zealand winner TONY BE (57.67; 37.03). There was plenty to like about the way COASTWATCH ran to the line late in his 2YO heat behind subsequent winner BRIGANTINE.
WYONG June 25: Trial of the morning came from the classy sprinter TRUMBULL in his first hitout after a 17 weeks spell. He finished second in his open heat over 1000m (60.36; 36.05) but underlined his talent by recovering from a poor start that saw him four lengths behind the pack in the first 50 metres. He railed up to midfield at the 600m and his work after finding clear air over the last 300m was impressive as he made ground easily under a soft ride from Alysha Collett.
ROSEHILL June 18: Quality grey FROSTY ROCKS led as usual to win a 900m heat in smart time (55.24; 35.36) after a similar effort to take out an earlier Rosehill 900m trial on June 4 (55.45; 34.92). He's in good order to race well fresh.
RANDWICK June 8: Last year's Black Opal Stakes winner BARBARIC didn't come up in one start earlier this season but looked back on track winning his first trial in 25 weeks in good style. Sat deep outside the lead and was always working well within himself to win his 736m heat under a kind ride, albeit in slow time (44.65; 33.97).
