THE sad state of affairs in the staying ranks in Sydney have again been highlighted at Saturday’s Rosehill Gardens meeting.
The powerful Chris Waller stable has five runners in the Stayers Handicap – Pinhole and Sir Suave on form the main threats to the favorite King Pedro being saddled up by Tom Charlton.
On form King Pedro looks the one to beat but when Waller gang tackles any race in Sydney – and in this one he has almost half the field – then inevitably the leading stable goes close to winning.
But don’t count on the best performed of his five being the ones to beat. If you could follow form of the Waller horses then Pinhole looks the main threat to King Pedro. But that’s a mission impossible and the one most likely of his roughies is Belle Detelle – form mixed but on her day capable of an upset.
In the main race of the day in Sydney, the Listed McKell Cup – surprise, surprise – Waller has the short-priced heavily-backed favorite God’s Window by Friday backed from $5 to $2.6. Zaphod and Know Thyself are the next best in the betting and genuine threats for ours.
The last Group 1 of the season will be run at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Splash Back favourite to win a tough Tatteresall’s Tiara for the mares.
Trainer Graeme Begg pressed on with her winter campaign after Splash Back ran a luckless but solid sixth in the G1 Stradbroke. She is at $6 narrowly in front of Manaal, Tuileries and Gerringong at $6.5.
Team Munce have Gerringong primed for the Tiara after a luckless second when she should have won the G2 Dane Ripper at her first start for the stable. She can overcome a wide draw and win this classic.
If you’re keen to back a roughie, look no further than our old mate ‘Walley World’ with Firestorm. She was unwanted on the heavy ground at Eagle Farm in the Dane Ripper first-up and JMac gave her no chance. She’s the big improver at $26.
