3 minute read

While most will be focused on Derby Day in Melbourne, Rosehill offers a challenging eight race card where looking for value appears the key.

Index Linked contests the Blacktown Workers Club Benchmark 85 Handicap in search of consecutive wins.

The Chris Waller-trained import recorded a slender victory over the Randwick mile a fortnight ago and did plenty wrong in the process.

He was slow out of the barriers and overraced yet still came away with the prize even after laying in badly down the straight.

Index Linked now rises to 1800m in the Blacktown Workers Club Benchmark 85 Handicap (1800m) and currently holds favouritism for the event.

Senior rider Glyn Schofield takes the ride who is enjoying some strong results in Sydney at present at attentions are largely focused on Melbourne.

Expect the pair to settle worse than midfield and be rattling home late.

The penny has well and truly dropped for Adage this campaign who can continue his rise through the grades in Saturday’s AMWU – National Handicap (1200m).

Currently quoted at genuine each way odds, he possesses plenty of appeal.

Adage is chasing a third straight win from as many runs this campaign having broken maiden status on resuming before dashing to a clinical win at Newcastle last start.

He rates highly amongst the field on weight adjusted Timeform figures and also boasts experience over most in the contest.

Adage is currently two starts into his second race preparation while many are embarking on their maiden preps or resuming from their maiden campaigns.

The son of Exceed And Excel should be somewhere around his peak third run from a spell and seeing him continue on his winning ways would come as no surprise.

Drawn midfield, expect Adage to take up a forward position just behind the speed and take some catching.

He faces a number of promising types in the field such as Amovatio, Koroibete and Polarmore but Adage perhaps just has that greater sense of timing about him.

Finding a lay at Rosehill on Saturday isn’t easy.

The program lacks short priced favourites and those quoted at 2-1 or shorter deserve to be there.

Didntcostalot in the Lidoran Group Spring Flying Handicap (1100m) might be one worth opposing.

The Marc Conners-trained gelding was safely accounted for in the Lightning Handicap (1100m) last start despite enjoying an excellent run in transit parked just outside the lead.

He now contests the Flying Handicap (1100m) on Saturday where the five-year-old comes up against some proven stakes winning sprinters.

Didntcostalot sits outside of the handicap and in nine prior attempts at Stakes success, has placed only three times.

Hidden Warrior is knocking on the door of a win, Zaratone is a track and distance specialist, Testarhythm was a model of consistency last preparation while the resuming Pampelonne would blow this field away if anywhere near best.

You have five gallopers all vying for favouritism and Didntcostalot arguably has the weakest claims.

Good luck on what shapes as a tough day at Rosehill.

Sydney Specials

Banker: R5 #5 Index Linked @ $3.20

Play Of The Day: R3 #3 Adage @ $6.00

Lay Of The Day: R4 #6 Didntcostalot @ $4.80