Last Saturday one of Sydney’s premier race days took place at Rosehill Racecourse, highlighted by the running of the coveted $500, 000 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
This year the 2010 Rosehill Guineas was taken out by the promising Zabeel gelding, Zabrasive.
Trained by John O’Shea Zabrasive appreciated the extra distance of Saturday’s feature after placing an unfortunate fourth to Shoot Out in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) last start.
Zabrasive ($6) was ridden to perfection by Nash Rawiller and the two chased down early leader Gathering inside the 200m mark to get to the front, holding off a late challenge by Crown Guineas winner Rock Classic ($3.70) to win by a mere nose with Run For Narra ($11) two lengths further back for third.
The victory was Zabrasive’s first Group 1 win, and the talented youngster will move on to the $1.3million Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 10.
Earlier in the day a brilliant line-up of quality races entertained the crowds, with the first Group race at the meeting taking place as race four, the $150, 000 Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).
This year the Pago Pago Stakes was won by Gai Waterhouse’s excellent More Than Ready colt Brightexpectations. The talented two-year-old began as the $2.60 favourite before going on to claim a dazzling all-the-way win over three lengths ahead of Blackball ($21) with the previously unbeaten Gerald Ryan-trained Hinchinbrook ($2.70) in third.
Brightexpectations has now burst into contention for the $3.5million Golden Slipper Stakes to be held next Saturday and is currently the third elect at $7.50 with IASbet to take out the richest two-year-olds’ race in the world behind Military Rose ($3.50) and Crystal Lily ($5.50).
Following the Pago Pago Stakes, the next event on the card at Rosehill was the $150, 000 Group 2 Magic Night Stakes (1200m), won by the Peter Moody-trained Tale Of The Cat filly Willow Creek in her first black type success.
Willow Creek settled worse than mid-field early in the event, as Psychologist stormed to the front leading by a devastating eight lengths at one stage.
But having pushed too hard to begin with, Psychologist faded over the closing stages of the race to finish a dismal tenth and allowing Willow Creek ($5) to race to victory three-quarters of a length ahead of the Gai Waterhouse-trained favourite More Strawberries ($3.50) with Celts a further half-length away for third.
The exciting Group racing action continued with the $150, 000 Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) where the Kerry Parker-trained son of Fantastic Light, Brilliant Light, secured his sixth career win from 13 starts in a thrilling photo-finish event.
The four-year-old gelding began at odds of $5 and just managed to defeat equal second favourite Centennial Park by a short half-head with roughie Mentality ($31) in a fast finishing third.
It was a poor finish for the $2.90 favourite, Gai Waterhouse’s Rock Kingdom, who placed a listless sixth.
The performance was an excellent preparatory run for the $1.5million Group 1 Doncaster Handicap on April 17, for which Parker hopes Brilliant Light can gain a start for.
After the headline event, the Rosehill Guineas, the last Group race on the card and the closing event at the meeting was the $125, 000 Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) where Joseph Pride’s Patronyme ($6) claimed victory a half-length ahead of the talented Beaded ($4) with Melito, the pre-race favourite at $2.90, in third.
This coming Saturday Rosehill Gardens will host its biggest and most bet on race meeting of the year, Golden Slipper Day featuring an elite line-up of races including five Group 1 events.
Race Results – Rosehill – Saturday March 27, 2010:
Race# |
Race Name |
Distance |
Winner |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Runner-Up |
Third |
| 1 | TAB Number 1 Club Handicap | 1200m | Animando | Gerald Ryan | Tommy Berry | Snow Alert | Rubinda |
| 2 | De Bortoli Wines Epona Stakes | 1900m | Messenger | Anthony Cummings | Damien Oliver | Pagan Princess | Jessicabeel |
| 3 | N E Manion Quality Cup | 2400m | Precedence | Bart Cummings | Luke Nolen | Inkster | The Embassy |
| 4 | Pago Pago Stakes | 1200m | Brightexpectations | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | Blackball | Hinchinbrook |
| 5 | Magic Night Stakes | 1200m | Willow Creek | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | More Strawberries | Celts |
| 6 | Ajax Stakes | 1500m | Brilliant Light | Kerry Parker | Jay Ford | Centennial Park | Mentality |
| 7 | Rosehill Guineas | 2000m | Zabrasive | John O’Shea | Nash Rawiller | Rock Classic | Run For Naara |
| 8 | Ambassador Travel Handicap | 1200m | Flowerchild | Paul Messara | Tim Clark | Star Of Octagonal | Zingaling |
| 9 | Birthday Card Stakes | 1200m | Patronyme | Joseph Pride | Nash Rawiller | Beaded | Melito |
