Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Rosehill on Saturday, February 22nd.
There's three Group 2s on today's card, with the Hobartville Stakes, Millie Fox Stakes and Silver Slipper Stakes headlining the card.
Check out our race-by-race preview and tips below!
Rosehill Racing Tips: Saturday, February 22nd
Race 1
James Cummings has four in the race here but I'm with Chris Waller's charge (6) Willowheart, who is undefeated from two career starts. She resumed with a solid win at Canterbury on the heavy track, which is a positive for today as we're racing on a bog. The form out of her debut win was very strong and it was good to see her resume in strong fashion. With that run under the belt she's only going to improve and with the heavy track box ticked, she's the one I'm siding with.
Race 2
(1) Mr Wong resumed in style at Randwick in a similar race, where he showed his best to record a 2.5L victory despite travelling wide without cover early in the race. This is a Class 3 Highway but he deserves favouritism on his best form and his only previous start on Heavy ground was a narrow defeat. The step up to 1100m to 1400m is some query but he's trialled between runs to keep his fitness at top so with Bowman in the saddle, he's the one they all have to beat.
Race 3
It's hard to look past (6) Cellsabeel after a dominant first up win over this track and distance, where she relished the heavy conditions to sail away but 6L. She's had five weeks between runs but gets very similar conditions today and although the margin might not be as big, I'd expect her to be winning again. It's a better race with harder opposition but she couldn't have been more impressive when winning and she should enhance her Golden Slipper claims here with another win.
Race 4
As I tweeted earlier in the week, this looks an ideal race for (1) White Moss. She resumed with a good effort behind Standout over 1200m in the Expressway Stakes and that race has already held up formwise with Alizee coming out and winning the Apollo Stakes. She's won three of her four starts when second up from a spell, she won this exact race last year on a Soft 7 track so she should handle the conditions, and there's a query or two about some of the other runners in the race. She looks very well placed with race fitness on her side.
Race 5
(6) Black Magnum should appreciate the soft ground today. He resumed with an impressive win first up and he only goes better on wet ground so he gets conditions to suit. He's won two from three when second up so he's the one to beat. (1) Greyworm has won two from three first up and you can just forget he went around first up last prep when caught five wide throughout. He bounced back and went on to keep winning so he should be ready to run a big race first up here. (8) River Bird will appreciate the heavy conditions.
Race 6
(3) Wu Gok should be able to run a race today. He's third up from a spell which is typically when he starts to find form, and he's won six of his 11 starts on Heavy ground. JMac takes over from the apprentices that have ridden him in his first two starts this prep and at $13 he looks a good each way bet. (1) Mustajeer should appreciate the wet ground today. He's first up since running in the Melbourne Cup and the connections have given a strong push for him to run a big race, so respect him.
Race 7
I was a big doubter of (2) Microphone leading into last start but he proved me wrong. I thought he was completely gone but evidently it seems he was just looking for more ground. He should appreciate the wet ground today and he's got race fitness on his side over many of these so he can win again. McDonald taking the ride on (10) Reloaded catches the eye. They had high hopes for this horse leading into this prep and he didn't get much luck first up so with JMac on, don't be surprised to see him run a race at double figure odds. (9) The Holy One is also a chance at double figures. Forget his first up effort when he jumped slowly. He needs to find the front and keep going so if he jumps clean, he can run a much improved race.
Race 8
(4) Master Of Wine is looking for longer than this but he's a good enough horse to be effective first up over the shorter trip. He was only beaten a nose first up over 1500m and he'll handle the soft ground so with $7.00 on offer, he's a decent each way bet. Big watch on (7) Djukon making his Australian debut for Waller and Bowman, while (8) Ken's Dream will appreciate the heavy ground.
Race 9
(13) Subpoenaed produced a good first up win over 1400m and she's more than capable of going on with things here. I don't see the heavy groun posing an issue for her and the wide draw isn't the worst as she tends to get back anyway. Hopefully Berry has her within striking distance on the turn and she can unleash her devastating turn of foot. She's capable of going on to win better races so I'll be sticking with her today.
