Group 1 racing returns to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, and the Coolmore Classic headlines a strong ten-race program.
The rain has continued all week and we’ll almost certainly be racing on a heavy track, while the rail will be left in the true position around the entire course.
You can find my complete 2022 Coolmore Classic Day Tips below.
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Midway Handicap (1200m) – 12:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 9 Esteemed Lady
Gwenda Markwell will send around the consistent Esteemed Lady in this week’s Midway Handicap, and I think that she will take beating.
Esteemed Lady hasn’t missed placing at her last five trips to the races, and she has found form around some handy gallopers this time in.
She looks to be in peak order for this contest and is ready to strike.
Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) – 12:55pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Queen Of The Ball
I’m happy to stick with Queen Of The Ball in the Magic Night Stakes.
Queen Of The Ball returned an impressive winner of the Widden Stakes back in late January, but she was a little flat when prominent in the market of the Silver Slipper last time.
Fitter third-up and back to fillies’ company, I think she can strike.
Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) – 1:30pm AEDT
Tip: No. 3 Magic
Magic returned an outstanding performance to finish second, beaten half a length by Best Of Bordeaux in the Silver Slipper on debut, and he can go one better in the Pago Pago Stakes.
The Snitzel showed plenty of promise at the trials prior to debuting, and he really did stamp himself as one to watch three weeks ago.
With any improvement, he’ll take a power of beating.
Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) – 2:05pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Ellsberg
Ellsberg is the class horse of this year’s Ajax Stakes field, and he can record another win.
The Spill The Beans entire has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his career, and he returned a fortnight ago to post a dominant win in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup; easily one of the standout performances of his career to date.
He’ll only improve for that effort, relishes the heavy going, and he is my best bet of the day.
Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) – 2:40pm AEDT
Tip: No. 3 Prime Star
Rule Of Law has record five wins from as many starts this time in and has opened a favourite in Maurice McCarten Stakes betting, but I am going to take him on.
The one that I like the look of here is the resuming Prime Star.
Prime Star didn’t show his best form last time in, but he did still manage to claim some positive results in some strong races.
He absolutely loves a heavy track, typically keeps his best form for early in his preps, and we can have an each-way play at around the $13 mark.
Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) – 3:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Cape Breton
Espiona has also accepted into the Coolmore Classic field and I am expecting her to take that route, so I’m going to look elsewhere in Phar Lap Stakes betting.
It’s a big rise in class for Cape Breton, but the decision to geld following a short and disappointing spring prep paid immediate dividends when he charged home to beat a seasoned field at Randwick-Kensington first-up this time.
He has since trialled since that win and I think that he is over the odds at $31.
Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) – 4pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Great House
Great House can win this year’s Sky High Stakes.
He has hinted at above-average ability since arriving in Australia, and he has performed largely consistently, but Great House really started to realise his potential during the spring, winning both the Newcastle Cup and the Hotham, and finishing fifth in both The Metropolitan and the Caulfield Cup most notably.
He returned with a decent effort to finish fourth in the Parramatta Cup last month and will take plenty of improvement into this contest.
Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) – 4:40pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Lighthouse
The feature race has drawn an outstanding field of mares, and there’s plenty of value to be extracted.
I’ve put Lighthouse on top, but be sure to check out my complete 2022 Coolmore Classic Tips RIGHT HERE.
Vale Alan Brown AM Handicap (1350m) – 5:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 13 Astero
This is one of the most open races on the card at publish, we’re faced with $6 the field.
Astero has improved with each of his four starts back this time, and I think that he can win this race at around the $10 mark.
The Zoustar gelding raced home well to finish third behind More Sundays here in late January, and I thought that his most recent effort for second behind Rustic Steel at Newcastle was excellent.
He’s another whom we can back each way.
Cerrone Handicap (1900m) – 5:55pm AEDT
Tip: No. 12 Zoumon
This is a rise in class for Zoumon, but he couldn’t have been more impressive at Canterbury last time, and he can make a successful transition to Saturday company.
The Waterhouse & Bott-trained gelding kept his best work for late when third over 1550m first-up, and he strode clear to greet the judge nearly three lengths in the clear of his rivals last time.
Fitter third-up, dropping in weight and under Timmy Clark, he’s the one for me.
