After a good lead-up win in Melbourne the James Cummings-trained Pericles is tipped to frank the form heading north as favourite in Saturday’s Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
Pericles is back in Sydney as favourite in 2023 Rosehill Guineas betting for trainer James Cummings on Slipper Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Godolphin-raced son of Street Boss has his first run at Rosehill Racecourse on the big stage this Golden Slipper Day and is at $2.70 through Ladbrokes leading Rosehill Guineas betting online.
Pericles was fourth fresh under a length off Glint Of Silver in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) before stepping up in distance for a big 2.75 length romp home in the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) on February 25 at Sandown.
Third-up he brings plenty of fitness to the table in a small nine-start Rosehill Guineas field where headline hoop James McDonald comes aboard from gate six.
The other best out of the Autumn Classic from down south on Blue Diamond Stakes Day lining-up in the Rosehill Guineas this weekend is the Brad Widdup-trained Ausbred Rising Sun.
The Maurice gelding is at longer Rosehill Guineas odds paying $21 despite his eye-catching placing last time out.
Following Pericles in the markets meanwhile is Anthony & Sam Freedman’s $4.20 second elect Elliptical firming fast after drawing the rails for jockey Mark Zahra.
The progressive Dundeel colt is a genuine Group 1 horse having already run in four elite level races over his eight-start career.
In the spring he was huge a making his Group 1 debut to finish a neck off Golden Mile in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) before finishing runner-up in Sydney’s Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m under a length off the winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart at Randwick.
A big test against the older horses at weight-for-age followed at Flemington where he ran 3.55 lengths back seventh to Zaak in the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) ahead of well-earned rest.
First-up he was back at headquarters winning the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) from barrier 13 of 14, before a credible mid-field seventh in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) last time out.
The others at single-figures in a tight top-half of the market for the Rosehill Guineas are the Chris Waller-trained duo of Randwick Guineas runner-up Lindermann ($6) and his VRC Derby champ Manzoice ($9.50) who ran eighth fresh in the same lead-up over a mile.
“Missing that first-up run with Manzoice, it makes you reluctant to run them first-up over a mile but I was happy with what he did for a stayer,” Waller told Just Horse Racing this week speaking of the longer-priced of his contenders.
“He won the Victoria Derby in the spring, he’s a better horse now, he’s a stronger horse. He is really quite an attractive specimen.
“He’s strong and his work since has been great.
“He’ll love 2000m and each year in the Rosehill Guineas we see the form-lines change from the Randwick Guineas.”
The Rosehill Guineas 2023 is set to run as Race 4 at 2:00pm (AEDT) on the massive 10-race Rosehill race card this Saturday.
2023 Rosehill Guineas Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 219281×8 | MANZOICE | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 56.5kg | 104 | ||
| 2 | 1x43227x17 | ELLIPTICAL | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 1 | 56.5kg | 103 | ||
| 3 | 6x2292x512 | LINDERMANN | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 9 | 56.5kg | 96 | ||
| 4 | 34x1224x36 | MATCHA LATTE | Mark Newnham | Tyler Schiller (a) | 5 | 56.5kg | 92 | ||
| 5 | 1238×41 | PERICLES | James Cummings | James McDonald | 6 | 56.5kg | 92 | ||
| 6 | x85135x745 | WILLIAMSBURG | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Ryan Maloney | 3 | 56.5kg | 90 | ||
| 7 | 13x607x463 | BROSNAN | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Michael Dee | 8 | 56.5kg | 80 | ||
| 8 | 1213 | AUSBRED RISING SUN | Brad Widdup | Brett Prebble | 4 | 56.5kg | 78 | ||
| 9 | 2136 | NORTHERN BARRAGE | Michael Kent | Damian Lane | 2 | 56.5kg | 64 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
