The Group 1 Coolmore Classic is front and centre this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens. With a host of Group 2 and Group 3 events also featuring on the stunning program, a bumper crowd is expected trackside! Down south, the $5,000,000 All-Star Mile headlines the card at Caulfield, and with arguably the best weight-for-age galloper in Australia on hand, all roads lead to the heath!
Rosehill Race 6
#7 Omni Man
Omni Man is ready to win. Both runs this preparation have been full of merit, and I suspect he is ready to peak third-up from a spell. 1100m is ideal at this stage of his campaign, and he should get all the favours in transit from a perfect inside draw. The I Am Invincible gelding has plenty of upside, and he looks great each way value. An early speed battle is the primary concern.
Red Card was ultra-impressive fresh. The Ribchester mare showed a massive turn of foot late to score, and I suspect she is in for a fruitful autumn. The talented four-year-old has won a barrier trial since, and Saturday could be a mere formality if she has taken any improvement from her first-up victory. The possibility of a flat second-up performance is the small deterrent.
Suggested Bet: Omni Man @ $8.50
Rosehill RACE 7
#4 Heman
Heman is over the odds. He visually needed the run first-up and is a noted second-up performer. The step out in distance is advantageous, and he should get a soft run throughout from the plumb barrier draw. The inform hoop Nash Rawiller will attract market support, and if he is fully wound up, I expect him to figure in the finish. His racing pattern and style always require an element of luck at the pointy end.
Saltcoats was good without winning first-up. The Ardrossan gelding did all the donkey work throughout, and he was game in defeat. The James McDonald and Chris Waller combination must be respected, and I suspect he will occupy the box seat from an ideal inside draw. If he sees daylight before the final furlong, I expect him to make his presence felt late. His overall record is the primary concern.
Suggested Bet: Heman @ $16.00
Rosehill Race 8
#11 Yonce
Yonce was a dominant last-start winner at Caulfield. The Proisir mare put her rivals to the sword a long way from home, and it was a welcomed return to form for her fans and followers. The six-year-old is rock-hard fit, and I suspect this race has been a long-range target. The 54kg is luxurious, and I expect her to get the run of the race from the perfect inside barrier. The sharp class rise is the primary concern.
Zougotcha will have plenty of supporters after a stunning first-up victory. The form out of the race has already produced a Group 1 winner, and the talented Zoustar mare looks to have turned a new page after a horrible and forgettable spring preparation. She can stalk the speed from barrier two, and if the gaps appear at the right time, she will get her chance to taste Group 1 glory. The 57kg is the biggest deterrent.
Suggested Bet: Yonce @ $14.00
Rosehill Race 9
#11 Glory Daze
Glory Daze is flying this preparation after undergoing the ultimate gear change. The talented Cotai Glory gelding was grabbed in the shadows first-up, and he was an impressive winner second-up carrying the grandstand. He drops 8kg for this event, and I suspect Saturday’s race has been on the camp’s radar since the end of his spring campaign. The awkward gate is the primary concern.
Democracy Manifest knows his racing well. The judo specialist was good late first-up, and he put the writing on the wall for a bold second-up performance. The step out in trip in distance is advantageous, and he looks well placed at this level. From barrier five, he will drift back and watch the race unfold, and if he sees clear running as they run for the doctor, he can gobble up his rivals and a succulent Chinese meal late.
Suggested Bet: Glory Daze @ $5.00
Caulfield Race 8
#1 Mr Brightside
Mr Brightside seems to return to racing each preparation bigger and better! The weight-for-age champion doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and he looks to have one hoof on the till of another All-Star Mile. His first-up victory from an impossible position was outrageous, and his second-up win was borderline arrogant. He is ready for the longer trip on Saturday, and I suspect the nineteen Hayes brothers are looking forward to leading him back into the mounting yard victorious. The wide gate and a runaway leader are among the primary concerns.
Pride Of Jenni leaves the kettle on more than Polly! She produces blistering sectionals from barrier to post, and her free-flowing style is a great spectacle and entertainment for racing and sporting enthusiasts. The Pride Of Dubai mare has had a little freshen-up after her fantastic first-up effort, and if she can catch her rivals napping on Saturday, the race could be over before patrons return to their seats. If you have a live ticket, close your eyes and cross your fingers and toes inside the final furlong. Daylight third.
Suggested Bet: Mr Brightside @ $1.80
Caulfield Race 10
#10 Grand Impact
Grand Impact returns to racing after a lengthy layoff. His recent barrier trials have caught the eyes of punters, and he traditionally performs well fresh. The Satono Aladdin entire oozes class, and his best performance here could be fences and panels better than his rivals. The 1200m is ideal first-up; if he is fully wound-up and sound, he looks incredibly well placed and weighted. It may pay dividends to watch for any significant market support.
Rey Magnerio has been a revelation in 2024. The Magnus gelding has gone through his grades successfully since the spring, and he has rubbed shoulders with some serious gallopers. The big boy wasn’t disgraced at the top level in the Oakleigh Plate, and he looks well placed, dropping back significantly in grade. I suspect he will have the fitness edge on the majority of his rivals, and he is obviously loving his racing. Are the camp going to the well too often?
Suggested Bet: Grand Impact @ $4.00
