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The Rosehill Timeform wrap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the nine race Rosebud Stakes program on August 11.
Sandbar fought off a wall of horses to claim the Listed Rosebud (1100m), producing the second highest winning figure of the race since it’s inaugural running in 2010 only behind the impressive 2017 winner Menari (120p).
Paret enjoyed a soft kill in the final event of the day, taking out a Benchmark 81 Handicap (1350m).
Whilst all the talk post race was about an Epsom tilt for Paret, the son of Harbour Watch is still only a Benchmark 77 horse. It means connections potentially have the time/opportunity to pick off another $100,000 Benchmark Race prior to stakes goals being realised this spring.
Team Godolphin picked off a pair of strong handicaps courtesy of Trekking and Flow.
The Kris Lees-trained duo of Tactical Advantage and Prized Icon were only narrowly beaten despite the winner’s enjoying a substantial weight advantage over them.
Race 1: Lifesaver - Class 2 Highway Handicap (1100m)
Despite Matt Dunn’s continued success in Highway Handicaps he can still get a winner in them at a decent price.
Lifesaver got up at $5.50 and considering his form, that’s something of a surprise. He was a city winner at three and had also placed in a couple of these Highway Handicaps 12 months ago.
We gave the run a Timeform rating of 83. There is another Highway Handicap at the same track and trip next fortnight. He can easily pick that off.
Table Mountain was good in second. He can go to the same race or perhaps look for a Highway Handicap over a bit more ground.
Race 2: Quick Defence - Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m)
Quick Defence got a charmed run in transit, midfield on the fence. After such a kind run in transit, Tommy Berry had plenty of horse under him in the straight. He produced a Timeform rating of 98 which is up around his peak.
He’ll take some placing around this time of year so it will be interesting to see where they go next.
Royal Stamp was brave in second. Her prep started well but she’d lost her way somewhat during her past couple of runs.
She looks back on track now. There is another 2000m Benchmark 78 Marc Conners can send her to at Rosehill in a fortnight.
Race 3: Mapmaker - Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m)
Mapmaker was afforded a nice run in transit, one out and one back. That told at the business end and he ran to a Timeform rating of 92.
The seven-year-old had a stack of gear changes. Blinkers back on, Ear muffs off, lugging bit off and the tongue tie off. He responded ideally and ran to a Timeform rating of 92.
Again, as was the case with the first two races on the card, there is a perfect race for him to progress to at Rosehill next fortnight.
Reiby Rampart finished second and is as honest as they come.
Zourkhan kicked off his prep well in third. For a middle distance horse, he has an excellent first up record over shorter distances. He now has one win, and five minor placings from seven runs.
Race 4: Irithea - Benchmark 85 Fillies & Mares Handicap (1400m)
Bjorn Baker has himself a mare in form. Irithea landed outside the lead and fought hard to hold off Sweet Scandal.
We assessed the run at 98. There are a few suitable Benchmark races for her over the coming weeks.
Sweet Scandal was good in second. This is her first race prep and she’s done a wonderful job.
All Too Soon was an eye catcher in fifth. She’ll be better suited up over a mile and beyond with some fitness under her belt. There is a Benchmark 88 over the Randwick Mile in three weeks she may not look out of place in.
Race 5: Trekking - Benchmark 94 Handicap (1100m)
It looked like a match race on paper between Trekking and Tactical Advantage and that’s how it unfolded.
Trekking’s run well below his peak figure and that’s understandable considering as a three-year-old he held his own against the likes of Menari and Merchant Navy.
Tactical Advantage gave Trekking 7kg and for just a slender defeat despite the weight, ran to a Timeform rating of 109.
Miss Que resumed well in third while Sir Plush in fifth was again doing his best work late. 1100m may be a shade too sharp for him. The six-year-old could be ready to fire third run from a spell if the stable steps him up to a more suitable trip.
Race 6: Sandbar - Listed Rosebud (1100m)
Sandbar settled one out and one back from the awkward draw. He won in a dogfight against a rival who had a 6kg weight advantage in his corner (Charge).
The run returned a Timeform rating of 113, that’s three pounds below his career peak which came in the Pago Pago Stakes where he finished second to Written By.
Only Menari last year has won the Rosebud to a higher rating than Sandbar, Menari produced a 120p figure beating a talented field with 60.5kg.
Sandbar will likely contest the Run To The Rose next. Plague Stone who ran fourth should go there.
Exceltic in sixth is apparently off to the Ming Dynasty. I feel like this horse has a big motor on him and the 1400m of the Ming Dynasty might be what he needs.
Race 7: Harper’s Choice - Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m)
Harper’s Choice got a nice trail behind the two leaders in transit and he strong late despite potentially coming off a six week freshen up. We’ve got him running to a Timeform rating of 100.
It’s still well below the five-year-old’s best which suggests there is plenty of room for him to improve through this prep.
The Gerald Ryan stable will likely send the Street Cry gelding to the Premier’s Cup in two weeks followed by the Wyong and Newcastle Gold Cups. The runner up Emperor’s Way will likely follow a similar path.
Carzoff can head that direction also. While he couldn’t deliver as favourite it was still a good run.
It’s also worth noting Tommy Berry rode him a half kilo over. On weights and measures that half kilo cost him third at the very least.Race 8: Flow - Open Handicap (1400m)
Flow was the fit, in form runner against some nice stakes level types resuming. That fitness was likely what got him over the line.
He’s hit a new career peak of 106 for the win.
Moving forward, the two placegetters are who we should be sticking with. I Am Serious and Prized Icon.
I Am Serious doesn’t know how to run a bad race and should be claiming her first black type in the Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury next Thursday.
Prized Icon in third produced a cracking start to his prep. The Kris Lees-trained runner should go to Randwick in three week’s time for either the Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) or the Tramway Stakes (1400m).
Race 9: Paret - Benchmark 81 Handicap (1350m)
A clinical 1.8 length win by the favourite in the get out stakes is something we all deserve to enjoy once in a while as punters. Paret cruised up to the early leaders approaching the furlong and the race was over soon after. He keeps improving and ran to a Timeform rating of 98.
The son of Harbour Watch is only a Benchmark 77 horse. There is potentially time for him to enjoy one more soft kill perhaps in a fortnight contesting a Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1500m at the course.
The Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick on September 15 could then be his next goal to gain a ballot exemption for the Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 29.
Gitan has come back in good order this prep. He can’t run in Highway Handicaps anymore because he’s a Class 4 horse now having won second up.
It’s not the first time however the Jean Dubois-trained runner has shown he’s not out of place amongst genuine city level company.