Rosehill full racing preview & quaddie | Hill Stakes Day 2023

Race 1: Class 3 Highway Handicap (1500m)

We get things underway with an enormous Highway Handicap with 20 runners engaged, and Chase My Crown brings in the strongest form. She chased home Soul Choice at Warwick Farm on September 20, a day when it was near-impossible to make ground down the middle of the course. City company at BM78 level may have been a stretch too far for the six-year-old mare, but the return to Highway grade looks ideal as she chases a fourth career win.

• 1
  

  CHASE MY CROWN

• 5
  

  NICKELBACK

• 11
  

  ATMOSPHERIC ROCK

• 17
  

  THE COAT HANGER

Race 2: BM72 Midway Handicap (1400m)

Despite the awful barrier, Peace Officer has a terrific opportunity to make it three wins on the trot this Saturday. The Clary Conners-trained gelding sat wide without cover for the duration of the race on September 23 but still proved too classy, going on to score by a comfortable half-length. It was an impressive showing by the son of Iffraaj as he gets out to the 1400m, and with Nash Rawiller electing to stick aboard Peace Officer, we’re willing to have him on top.

• 2
  

  PEACE OFFICER

• 7
  

  FELIX MAJESTIC

• 15
  

  TERRITORY EXPRESS

• 9
  

  BIG APPLE

Race 3: BM88 Handicap (2000m)

We’re more than forgiving of Pesto after a luckless first-up effort at Randwick on September 16. He couldn’t get off the inside running rail until the race was all over but still powered through the line under Zac Lloyd. That was over a trip short of his best, and with the 2000m coming second-up into the preparation, we’re confident Pesto can make amends.

• 3
  

  PESTO

• 8
  

  PIEROSSA

• 4
  

  GAN TEORAINN

• 6
  

  SPECIAL SWEY

Race 4: BM78 Handicap (1100m)

Bandi’s Boy is worth an each-way speck as he returns from a 413-day spell. Things haven’t gone to plan for the lightly raced four-year-old, as the Danny Williams camp hasn’t been able to get him back to the races. He’s had three terrific barrier trials at Goulburn leading into this first-up effort and gets a perfect draw in barrier four to gain a soft run in transit. His best is good enough to figure here, and while we’re taking the risk on Bandi’s Boy, he’s worth it at the price with top online bookmakers.

• 10
  

  BANDI’S BOY

• 12
  

  STANISLAUS

• 8
  

  CLASSY JAYBEE

• 2
  

  PIONEER RIVER

Race 5: Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1300m)

King’s Gambit has been a costly commodity for punters of late, starting favourite in four of his five career starts. That includes his latest effort down the straight course at Flemington in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m). He pulled the duration of the race and didn’t appreciate leading them up on that occasion. Looking back to his two-year-old Sydney form, King’s Gambit fits into this field beautifully, and with a tick-over trial to keep his mind on the job, we think he can win and perhaps stake a claim for the final Everest (1200m) slot.

• 1
  

  KING’S GAMBIT

• 5
  

  CELESTIAL LEGEND

• 3
  

  OZZMOSIS

• 8
  

  BALKANS

Race 6: Tapp-Craig 3YO (1400m)

The Tapp-Craig (1400m) is another chance for the three-year-olds to claim some black type, and we think Ducasse can turn the tables on Encap from the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m). Ducasse hasn’t run since that effort on September 9, where barrier 16 gave the son of Trapeze Artist very little chance to make an impression from near-last turning for home. He produced exceptional closing sectionals, and we don’t mind the freshen from the Michael Freedman camp. We’re not sure Ducasse would’ve made an impact in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m); however, he certainly isn’t out of place in a race like this.

• 7
  

  DUCASSE

• 1
  

  ENCAP

• 13
  

  MAKARENA

• 3
  

  SNAPBACK

Race 7: Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m)

The Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) returns to Rosehill for the first time since 2011 and has attracted a massive field of 14 for the $2 million feature. It’s a race loaded with chances: five-time Group 1 winner Montefilia heads the market at +280, Hoo Ya Mal has seen plenty of early support into +340, and Protagonist (+600) and Zeyrek (+750) round out the horses in single figures.

Click here for our full preview & $100 betting strategy for the Group 2 Hill Stakes

Race 8: Alan Brown Stakes (1400m)

There’s $1.5 million on the line in the inaugural edition of the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) for three-year-olds and up. Detonator Jack brings some different form from Melbourne as the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained galloper heads to Sydney for the first time. He’s been so consistent for the stable, with 11 starts for five wins and five more minor placings to his name. He was set a task three wide without cover at his latest start at Flemington in The Sofitel (1400m) but still fought to the line to be defeated less than half-length. Detonator Jack still has plenty of upside and can show just how much on Saturday.

• 10
  

  DETONATOR JACK

• 5
  

  ROOTS

• 12
  

  WATERFORD

• 7
  

  LION’S ROAR

Race 9: Group 3 The Nivison (1200m)

Magic Time looks to have returned well for the Grahame Begg yard after a strong first-up effort in the The Heath 1100 (1100m) at Caulfield on September 2. The four-year-old mare was unable to gain any cover throughout the journey but stayed on nicely behind Asfoora. We haven’t seen Magic Time step out again since, although she does have Sydney form having taken out the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in her three-year-old campaign. She draws to gain a mid-field position with cover from gate nine, and with Nash Rawiller taking the reins, Magic Time should figure in the finish.

• 5
  

  MAGIC TIME

• 3
  

  PARISAL

• 2
  

  REVOLUTIONARY MISS

• 7
  

  SHE’S ALL CLASS

Race 10: BM78 Handicap (1300m)

The final race on the program is another tough one to assess, but we can’t get away from the current race favourite, Kayobi. His first-up effort behind Kibou was an eye-catching display at Randwick over the unsuitable 1200m, but the gelding by Maurice kept knuckling down to the task. He finished less than 1.5 lengths away on that occasion and closed like a galloper in need of the extra 100m on offer this Saturday. It’s a race with chances scattered all over the page, but Kayobi seems the logical choice in the get-out stakes.

• 2
  

  KAYOBI

• 4
  

  DIAMOND DEALER

• 10
  

  GRINGOTTS

• 9
  

  LAFARGUE