SKY Thoroughbred Central’s Ron Dufficy dissects the winners and losers from the BMW Stakes meeting at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Track: Heavy 9
R1: THE SCHWEPPERVESCENCE (1400m)
Brown’s successful Mission
Ray Thomas
CHAMPION jockey Corey Brown picked up a lucky last-minute ride on eventual winner The Mission when Golden Slipper hero Ben Melham arrived late to Rosehill Gardens.
Melham’s plane from Melbourne was delayed and by the time he had arrived on track just prior to the opener, the Group 3 $ 150,000 The Schweppervescence (1400m), stewards had already called for jockeys to weigh-out and ordered a replacement rider for The Mission.
Brown seized the opportunity and guided The Mission to a dominant all-the-way win.
The Paul Perry-trained The Mission ($ 21) was fourth emergency and missed a start in the Golden Slipper won by She Will Reign but it worked his in favour on Saturday as he broke his maiden with an impressive 2½ lengths win from Astoria ($ 3 favourite) with Muraahib ($ 7) three-quarters of a length away third. The Mission’s win gained more merit post-race when Brown revealed the colt pulled most of the race.
The Mission led all the way to score an upset win in The Schweppervescence.Source:News Corp Australia
“He didn’t really settle in front so it was a super effort to win as well as he did,’’ Brown said.
Shannon Perry, stable representative for his father, said The Mission could back up in the Group 1 $ 1 million ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick next Saturday.
“We will see how he pulls up but he didn’t really have a hard run today,’’ Perry said. “He runs a strong 1400m and handles wet going so that is in his favour. We go to Randwick with good form and might be the fresh horse on the scene.”
Astoria was The Mission’s immediate chaser throughout and try as he might, the favourite could not bridge the gap in the straight.
“The winner was just too good really,’’ Astoria’s jockey James Doyle said. “I crossed over without using too much energy early but I think the ground is very sticky for him. The day he won it was a bit fresher and a bit sloppier and he got through it better than he did today.’’
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 THE MISSION ($ 20, $ 5.30) Led and controlled the race, strong at the 200m and held them safely.
2 ASTORIA ($ 1.30) Sat outside the lead, was first under pressure and stuck on but no match.
3 MURAAHIB ($ 2.30) Back second last on the turn and worked through late.
SKINNER: In a very good betting race The Mission got a cheer from the bookies when he kicked clear and held on at good odds. He showed way above ability early on and be ready to fulfil his potential.
IMPOROVER: Smooth Landing made good ground from the back in a slowly run race, she is a nice filly whose turn is not far off.
R2: STAR KINGDOM STAKES (1200m)
Brad Davidson
AN emotional Mick Bell paid tribute to his late wife Bev as mudlark Jungle Edge gave the battling trainer his biggest victory at Rosehill Gardens.
Bev lost her battle with breast cancer about six weeks ago and Cranbourne trainer Bell’s thoughts turned straight to his late wife as Jungle Edge ploughed through the heavy conditions to register a dominate two-length win in yesterday’s Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m).
“I did have an angel on my shoulder,” Bell said post-race. “(I haven’t won a Group race before) and I haven’t been to that many. Life is a funny thing. I wish Bev was here but all the support I’ve had from everybody has been touching.”
The victory was just as meaningful for 55-year-old hoop Kevin Forrester, who won an Australian Cup on Admiral Lincoln in 1984.
Jockey Kevin Forrester snared a feature-race win with Jungle Edge.Source:AAP
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 JUNGLE EDGE ($ 2.70, $ 1.80) Took control early and accelerated in the going for an easy win.
2 DAL CIELO ($ 3) A bit keen in the run but had his chance over the last 300m.
3 IMPENDING (NTD) Never in the race back last but did hit the line strongly late.
NICE BETS LANDED: Jungle Edge got the favourite punters back on track with a tough on-pace win. Double figure odds were bet earlier in the week and he got into as short as $ 2.80 at the finish.
SURVIVOR: Jockey Kevin Forrester has been around a long time and has travelled all around Australia over the years. It was great to see him get a feature win over the carnival here with a perfectly rated front running ride.
R3: NEVILLE SELLWOOD STAKES (2000m)
Ray Thomas
LLOYD Williams has raced five Melbourne Cup winners and he could be about to get his fifth Sydney Cup. The leading owner’s tough stayer Assign showed he was on target for the Sydney Cup with a determined win in the Group 3 $ 150,000 The Daily Telegraph Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Golden Slipper-winning jockey Ben Melham was back in the groove on Assign ($ 8) who drove through closer to the rails to score by three-quarters of a length from Astronomos ($ 2.i0 favourite) with Single Gaze ($ 10) a short neck away third.
Melham said he backed Assign’s staying ability to grind out a deserved win.
“They ran along a pretty nice tempo, they went a bit quick for him early so I came back and let him find a rhythm,’’ Melham said. “Then they put a gap on him at the top of the straight but I knew he’d keep coming.’’
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 ASSIGN ($ 7, $ 2.40) Enjoyed a nice run and responded when under pressure to outstay them.
2 ASTRONOMOS ($ 1.30) Followed the winner then taken wide in the straight. Kept coming.
3 SINGLE GAZE ($ 2.90) Took off wide before the turn, loomed up and stuck on gamely.
TOUGH: Team Williams produced another tough, hard, stayer in Assign. He may have only been second-up on a testing track but this stable always produces their horses at top fitness.
THE FAVOURITE: Astronomos was on the winner’s back midrace but ended up coming wider to wind up. Whether that was the right move is open for debate.
Assign sticks to the inside and edges out Astronomos in the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes at #Rosehill. pic.twitter.com/tfFIBo0l5x
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 25, 2017
R4: DONCASTER PRELUDE (1500m)
Ray Hickson
EXCITING import Spectroscope is likely to be given his chance in next week’s $ 3m Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Day 1 of The Championships after a dominant display in the Prelude at Rosehill.
The four-year-old gave Godolphin trainer John O’Shea back-to-back wins in the 1500m Doncaster Prelude and O’Shea said if he comes through the run in good order he’ll back up in the nation’s premier Group 1 mile handicap.
Spectroscope has 51kg in the Doncaster, after weights are raised 1kg, and firmed from $ 26 into $ 15 with TAB Fixed Odds.
“We think he is up to the top level certainly here in Australia,’’ O’Shea said after the win.
It was a cold ride from jockey Corey Brown who guided Spectroscope through the field from last on the turn and he cruised home ahead of No Doubt and Marenostro.
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 SPECTROSCOPE ($ 3, $ 1.40) Last on the turn but when the gaps opened he sprinted easily and put the race away.
2 NO DOUBT ($ 3.90) Always handy, loomed up but couldn’t match the winner’s turn of foot.
3 MARENOSTRO ($ 2.40) Ran on quite well down the outside without threatening.
ON THE RISE: French import Spectroscope made it two from two in Australia with another impressive win and he forces his way into the Doncaster Mile now. The timing says he will run well.
UNDERRATED: No Doubt is a nice horse who is eligible for easier races. He was very brave here and never shirked his task at all.
Top ride through traffic and on to the G1 Doncaster next week for #Spectroscope#TeamGodolphin#TheRaces@atc_raceshttps://t.co/fRzrlRPHoE
— Godolphin (@godolphin) March 25, 2017
R5: TULLOCH STAKES (2000m)
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 JON SNOW ($ 2.80, $ 1.30) Parked outside the lead, got stronger as the race went on and proved too good.
2 PRIZED ICON ($ 1.90) Settled back on the inside, worked through the field in a big improvement on last week.
3 CAPTAIN DUFFY ($ 4.50) Always handy, made a dash but was safely held.
THE KIWI: Jon Snow really rubber stamped the NZ Derby form with a comprehensive win after a nice run in transit. He now comes right into Derby calculations with his fellow NZer Gingernuts next week.
THE BIG PRIZE: Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon’s dream for next week is still alive but connections will be praying for a drying week.
Another win for the Kiwis!
Jon Snow races clear to win Race 5 at #Rosehill after a great ride from @LaneDamian. pic.twitter.com/BD1CVNkQ8E— TAB (@tabcomau) March 25, 2017
R6: THE BMW (2400m)
Ray Hickson
CLASSY mare Jameka turned the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) into a one act affair with a crushing win in the 2400m staying feature at Rosehill.
Last year’s Caulfield Cup winner was put in a commanding spot by jockey Hugh Bowman and he had tearaway leader Lasqueti Spirit in his sights, hitting the lead on the turn and charging away.
Jameka reversed the result from the Australian Cup as Humidor chased in vain with Exospheric, third at Flemington, taking third place.
The four-year-old had raced without luck this autumn and The BMW was also her first Sydney win after placings in last year’s ATC Derby and Rosehill Guineas.
DUFF’S ANALYSIS
1 JAMEKA ($ 2.90, $ 1.30) Sat second, took the field up to the tearaway leader then left them standing.
2 HUMIDOR ($ 1.50) Tracked into the race okay but only whacked away into second.
3 EXOSPHERIC ($ 2) Settled behind the winner and tried hard but no match.
DEMOLITION: Class mare Jameka got into a beautiful rhythm and always travelled like the winner the whole way. She beat a good field with her head on her chest.
EXCUSES: The highly touted Tavago was a beaten horse a long way out and appeared to pull up sore to the eye.
BIG BETS: Jameka $ 8,000 @ $ 3, $ 4,000 @ $ 3, $ 2,320 x $ 8,200 e/w @ $ 2.90/$ 1.30; Tavago $ 10,000 @ $ 4; Exospheric $ 5,000 @ $ 7.50, $ 3,000 @ $ 7.50; Humidor $ 3,750 @ $ 3.90
WHAT A WIN!
Jameka bolts clear at the turn to win the Group 1 BMW for @HugeBowman & @cmaherracing. pic.twitter.com/kJsqPywWTW— TAB (@tabcomau) March 25, 2017
Originally published as Duff’s raceday focus: Rosehill
Sport | news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site
