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Highlights and news from Rosehill on Saturday.
Feature-bound Satness hands Ryan return winner
Brock Ryan has scored his first metropolitan victory since returning from an injury layoff aboard the Robert and Luke Price-trained Satness in the Midway Handicap (1600m).
It was his first winner in town since February with Ryan only recently back from a shoulder issue which kept him out of the saddle for five months.
Co-trainer Luke Price said Satness ($10) would now be aimed at The Four Pillars on Golden Eagle day.
"Full credit to the horse, he's been in work for a long time," Price said.
"We gave him three, four days off after Rosehill the other week and he didn't like the paddock at all.
"There's a race on Golden Eagle day, The Four Pillars that might really suit him. Whether he can go on for that much longer (I'm not sure).
"We've got the farm so we can send him down there for a few days in between and it looks a good goal."
Elettrica ($5 fav) for Richard and Will Freedman finished a neck away second, while Loving Cilla ($15) crossed the line in third, another three-quarters of a length back.
Derry Grove continues Kosciuszko build-up
Murwillumbah galloper Derry Grove has showed his Kosciuszko slot holder made the correct decision by winning in the TAB Highway Handicap (1000m) in easy style.
The five-year-old has already locked away a spot in the $2 million feature on Everest Day and made a statement, lugging 61kg to defeat a handy field by 1-1/4 lengths.
Nash Rawiller will ride the gelding in The Kosciuszko, having been aboard for his past two wins, and Rawiller said the son of Star Turn did it easily on Saturday.
"Full credit to the team, he's obviously had issues throughout his career but he's in a rich vein of form," Rawiller said.
"He's building confidence as he goes, today was just like a track gallop at Murwillumbah.
"He is a horse that, to me, feels like you're always on tenterhooks with him, the switch could flick at any time and he could've had enough.
"He's got a month to keep improving, or at least hold his rich vein of form, get to the 1200m which doesn't worry me and he's going to be very competitive."
Derry Grove was $15 with TAB on Saturday morning for The Kosciuszko but trimmed up to $9 following the win.
Cummings could have Ace for Eagle
Ed Cummings has bigger ambitions for in-form gelding Strait Acer after he brought up a hat-trick of wins at Randwick.
Cummings is keen to give the four-year-old an opportunity to earn a spot in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 4, possibly via the Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick three weeks earlier.
"I don't mind the idea of a freshen and back to 1300 here for the Silver Eagle," Cummings said.
"We're conscious the horse is having his fifth start here today and while he's still on the way up, there's bigger fish to fry too.
"There's a lot of options for him but being a four-year-old and being a horse that's very strong at 1400 and 1600 at Randwick, all tees up for a nice crack at a Golden Eagle if we're good enough to get into the race."
Strait Acer ($2.60 fav) was eased down by Jason Collett on the line to take out Saturday's Shoot Out Mile (1600m) by a half-length over Mission Phoenix ($5.50) with Gan Teorainn ($3.30) another short neck away.
Rediener puts himself in Epsom mix
Chris Waller is yet to commit to an Epsom Handicap start for Rediener, but he is warming to it after the gelding returned with a strong win in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) to earn a ballot and penalty exemption for next month's Group 1 mile.
Returning from an autumn in which he won three of his six starts, Rediener ($8.50) began his latest campaign where he left off his last, defeating Cuban Royale by 1-1/4 lengths with Wild Planet ($26) another half-length in arrears.
Waller said he would ponder the best target for the horse with the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) a week after the Epsom also under consideration.
He is also keen for winning jockey Kathy O'Hara to stick with Rediener wherever he goes next.
"He did a great job at the end of the autumn, including winning in Queensland, a Group race," Waller said.
"Geez, he's come back well and who knows, whether it is an Epsom or the Alan Brown the following week, a $1.5million, 1400m race.
"I guess weigh up where he fits in with our others and make sure Kathy's available."
Quote of the day: "He's an absolute chameleon….He's a horse that's run a mile, he's a horse that's now won a Group race over 1100m, he's an unbelievable horse but he keeps changing and I've got to keep up with him as he's changing." – trainer Joe Pride on Shorts winner Private Eye.
