There are 10 quality races taking place at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday afternoon with plenty of opportunities to build a bank.
Our 2021 Festival Stakes Day Tips & Preview can be found below.
Preview brought to you by Neds. Learn more about Neds HERE.
Race 1: 2 YO Handicap (1100m) – 12:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 5 Lady Laguna
Lady Laguna couldn’t have been much more impressive when winning on debut at Eagle Farm by half a length three weeks ago.
The Annabel Neasham trained filly will take plenty of improvement and experience out of the run and with even luck looks tough to beat in a field full of first starters.
Race 2: Highway Handicap (1200m) – 12:55pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Participator
It usually takes a progressive type of horse to win the Highway Handicap and three year old gelding Participator looks exactly that.
He is unbeaten from two career race starts including a dominant 4.4 length win at Wagga last time out.
Drawn to get a lovely run in transit.
Race 3: Midway Handicap (2000m) – 1:30pm AEDT
Tip: No. 2 Jesse James
Jesse James has been an incredibly consistent horse throughout his 10 race career, placing in all but one.
He has two wins to his name from four starts so far this prep and he should be ready to peak in this contest.
Race 4: Listed ATC Cup (2000m) – 2:05pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Kiss The Bride
I’m happy to take on a few of these at the top of the market in this event and Kiss The Bride looks a good each way bet to my eye.
The six year old gelding was beaten just over a length behind Think It Over in the Rosehill Gold CUp over 2000m two back, and if he can replicate that effort, he will be right in a race of this quality.
Race 5: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) – 2:40pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Mr Mosaic
Mr Mosaic has managed four wins from 10 career race starts and has proven in the past that he is very capable when returning from a spell.
He is three from three first up including a 3.3 length win in a similar grade of race this time last year.
Has drawn perfectly in barrier two and can handle a rain affected track.
Race 6: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) – 3:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 8 So United
So United comes into this race off the back of a 1.1 length win at this track and distance last time out.
The four year old gelding drops two kilos for this assignment and will jump from barrier eight.
Race 7: Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) – 4:00pm AEDT
Tip: No. 7 Written Beauty
Written Beauty is going far better this prep than her form on paper reads.
Despite failing to place so far this prep, she has been finding the line well in each of her three runs so far and she will be ready to peak at this stage of her prep.
She has two wins and a second from four attempts at 1100m and looks well placed.
Race 8: Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) – 4:40pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Gem Song
Gem Song was well beaten in The Hunter at Newcastle first up from a spell but the six year old found the line quite well and that is the right form line for this event.
Second up from a spell last prep he won the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket and then followed that up with a fifth (beaten 1.9 lengths) in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes behind Think It Over.
He is being asked to carry the big weight but the $26 currently available is over the odds.
Race 9: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m) – 5:20pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Brookspire
The Chris Waller trained Brookspire was a dominant winner two starts back on the heavy track, scoring by 3.5 lengths back in August beating the smart Shibli who has since come out and won.
She was last seen finishing fifth, beaten 1.8 lengths on the 11th of September and this looks a very winnable race for her off the back of a freshen up.
Race 10: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m) – 6:00pm AEDT
Tip: Boxed tri 2/5/7/10/13