Gai's Tip Sheet
SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER – ROSEHILLRail Position: RAIL - TrueTHE PLAYWRIGHT (Race 1, 12.35pm, 1100m, R Bayliss, 54.5kg)The Playwright is delighting us ahead of her first start. She has shown bundles of promise in her two trials to date, and she displayed plenty of early speed on both occasions which we always like to see. These outings will have taught her a lot ahead of raceday, and whilst barrier 9 isn’t ideal Regan will be positive from there to try and go forward and settle her in a forward position where she can hopefully make her own luck from the front, or close to it. She’s shown plenty of precocity and professionalism in her career to date which counts for a lot in these early races, and if she can dictate the tempo of race to suit herself we expect her to be hard to run down.REDBREAST (Race 4, 2.20pm, 1400m, T Clark, 56kg)Redbreast looks great ahead of her first start this preparation. Whilst on face value she didn’t appear to set the world alight in her first two trials this time in, we were pleased with her much-improved display in her latest outing at Randwick where she worked through the line strongly. These three outings they have given her a good base level of fitness, and her gallop in the lead up to this race on Tuesday morning was excellent. We know she’s a talented mare on her day, and she’s still only lightly raced so we feel she has plenty more to offer at this stage in her career. She’s got two impressive victories to her name over 1400 metres, so whilst we are looking forward to stretching her out in trip later in her campaign this is an ideal starting point and Tim will be positive from barrier 6 to try and roll forward into a prominent position where she can get into a comfortable rhythm. She’s matured a lot and is much more tractable at the outset of this preparation, so we expect her to be finding the line strongly to get things off to an exciting start.SOLDIER OF ROME (Race 5, 2.55pm, 1800m, R Bayliss, 58kg)Soldier Of Rome ran yet another brave race when rising in grade in his latest start over course and distance and he was very unlucky to be run down in the shadows of the post. He pulled nicely clear of the remainder of the field though which is always a positive sign, and he’s come through the outing in excellent shape. We were delighted with the way he worked though the line in his gallop on Saturday morning, and we feel he’s got more to offer fourth-up in his second attempt at 1800 metres. His wide barrier means he'll have to do a bit of work to go forward and cross the field, but from there he should be able to settle into a comfortable rhythm and control the tempo of the race to suit himself. He’s got an extra kilo on his back here compared to last time and whilst this is the same grade of race it has more depth to it, so he needs to keep improving. However, he's a tough and consistent gelding who always gives his all and if he's able to control the race to suit himself we expect him to be staying on extremely strongly in the run to the line. HOO YA MAL (Race 8, 4.45pm, 1500m, T Clark, 57kg)Hoo Ya Mal ran well first-up over 2000 metres. He was only 2.48 lengths behind an extremely talented field who had the benefit of race fitness under their belt, so it was an incredibly encouraging effort and he’s toned up further ahead of this second-up display. His trial in between starts has kept his fitness up to the mark, and he’s open to plenty of improvement second-up. He's shown good natural speed and trialled well over shorter distances, so whilst dropping back in trip to 1500 metres is not our usual preference the prospect of a strongly run race that's going to place an emphasis on stamina is going to play to his strengths. Tim will be positive from barrier 2 to settle him in a prominent position where he can get into a good rhythm and travel with plenty of confidence. This race tees him up nicely for plenty of lucrative options in the coming weeks, and he’s in terrific shape at present so we expect him to be challenging at the finish.SO UNITED (Race 8, 4.45pm, 1500m, L Beuzelin, 53kg)So United looks super ahead of his first start this campaign and he has been progressing nicely since his most recent trial at Randwick three weeks ago. He improved from his first to second trial, and these two outings have given him a good base level of conditioning to work from ahead of this run. We were pleased with his gallop in the lead up to this race on Tuesday morning, and whilst we know he will improve over further later in his preparation this 1500 metres is a suitable enough starting point. He’s drawn well in barrier 4, so we're keen to make the most of it and try and roll forward but there's every chance he might be beaten for a bit of early speed over this distance by some sharper rivals. Louis will be as positive as he can be to try and hold a handy position, and if they go hard up front it could play into his hands as we know he's ultimately looking for further. This is very much a launchpad for the rest of his preparation, but if he can enjoy a smooth run in transit we hope to see him hitting the line strongly. CONVERGE (Race 9, 5.20pm, 2000m, T Clark, 57kg)Converge was far from disgraced in his latest outing at Kembla in an extremely competitive race, and he finished ahead of several talented performers on that occasion. He’s come through the run in excellent shape, and he just needs everything to fall into place to be seen to best effect. He’ s dropping back in grade here so he should find things a touch easier, and whilst barrier 16 is a bit tricky Tim will settle him where he's comfortable. We've taken all the gear off and we're hopeful the rise in distance to 2000 metres will enable him to travel closer to the speed and utilise his turn of foot, as on his best form he'd be hard to beat. GOLDMAN (Race 9, 5.20pm, 2000m, R Bayliss, 57kg)Goldman has come through his first-up run in pleasing shape. He was unsurprisingly just outsprinted over a trip that we knew would be short of his best, but we had to start him off over that sort of trip though in order to get race fitness under his belt and have him spot on for this valuable contest second-up. We know he'll relish the rise in distance to 2000 metres here, and the slightly steadier tempo of the race over this trip will enable him to get into a more comfortable rhythm in the run. He’s yet to race at Rosehill but we expect the track suit him well, and Regan will be positive from barrier 1 to hopefully get him bowling along towards the head of the field where he can set a tempo to suit himself. This race is a lovely steppingstone second-up and he’s in terrific shape at present, so if he puts his best foot forward we expect him to give them all something to catch.TOWNSEND (Race 9, 5.20pm, 2000m, T Berry, 54kg)Townsend was excellent when winning in such dominant fashion at Newcastle most recently. He got into a lovely rhythm in the run and when he was asked to lengthen at the 800 metres, he shot clear of the field and continued extending strongly in the straight to be far too good for them. He’s come through that run in wonderful order and he is thriving at present, so he's taken plenty of confidence from his victory. We expect him to relish the rise in distance to 2000 metres third-up, and Tommy will be positive from barrier 8 to settle him in a prominent position. This is a tougher and more competitive race, so he might not get his own way in front again but we don't think he's one dimensional and if he needs to settle just off the speed then so be it. He’s rising in grade significantly here and taking on much more seasoned horses as a result, but he's Group 1 placed himself so he's no slouch and he's more unexposed than many so we expect him to be very competitive. SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER – CAULFIELDRail Position: RAIL - True Entire CircuitPHENOM (Race 4, 2pm, 1400m, J McNeil, 56kg)Phenom ran another brave race at Canterbury last time. She was unfortunate to not get a clear run in the straight as she would otherwise almost certainly be three from three this preparation. Nonetheless, she’s come through that outing in great shape and she remains in terrific form in her gallops at home. She rises in grade to Listed company here so it’s going to be much tougher than her previous starts this campaign, but the way she has been racing and training suggest she’s more than capable of handling the challenge. She’s settled into our Flemington stable extremely well since her arrival, and we expect the step out in trip to 1400 metres to also bring about significant improvement. Barrier 12 is a bit tricky, so Jye will look to go forward from there to get across and establish her in a comfortable rhythm towards the head of the field. She’s trialled well on a soft track previously and Zoustar's progeny generally handle it, so with the track currently rated a Soft 5 we're confident she'll get through the conditions presented. This race requires a lot more but she's the joint second top-rated horse in the race and it's an attractive opportunity to gain some valuable Black Type. She's only lightly raced with plenty of upside, so if she can get into a good position from her barrier and enjoy a smooth run in transit we expect her to be right there at the finish.SERPENTINE (Race 8, 4.25pm, 2400m, J McNeil, 59kg)We freshened Serpentine up in the paddock for a few days since his latest start to get him back firing on all cylinders again, and he couldn't be in better physical order ahead of this race. Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for these older geldings and we are hopeful that the mini break will spark him back to his best and get him back into the Winner’s Circle for you all. He’s been running very creditably in several competitive contests so far this campaign, and we can't fault his recent trackwork. His gallops since his return to the stable have been excellent, and Jye will let him land where he's comfortable in the run from barrier 7. This is another valuable and competitive contest, but he’s as tough as they come and he thrives on his work so a reproduction of his best form would see him fighting out the finish once again.SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER – KEMBLARail Position: RAIL - +3m 1100m-W/Post, True RemainderWAR STAR (Race 4, 3.15pm, 1400m, J Van Overmeire, 59kg)War Star ran a very encouraging race first-up. He wasn’t beaten far by two progressive horses, so he lost nothing in defeat after returning from a long absence. We can’t fault his subsequent trackwork, and we expect him to relish the rise in distance to 1400 metres on the expansive track at Kembla. Horses can sometimes race a little flat second-up after a long break, but we're hoping that giving him three weeks between runs has given him the additional time required to get over his exertions. Jean will be positive from barrier 3 to try and roll forward and dictate the tempo to suit himself, and we don't think the recent rain is a disadvantage as he'll probably enjoy getting his toe into the track. He’s lightly raced and he's open to plenty of improvement, so if he puts his best foot forward we expect him to be hard to beat.SATURDAY 1ST DECMBER – TRARALGONRail Position: RAIL - True Entire CircuitSOUL CHOICE (Race 7, 4.25pm, 1900m, T M Nugent, 54kg)Soul Choice has become an inconsistent performer of late but she continues to thrive on her work and her latest jumpout was excellent. We were delighted with the way she worked through the line at Flemington on that occasion, and the first two pulled a long way clear of the remainder of the field which is generally a positive sign. She appears to have taken plenty of confidence from that outing, and we can’t fault her trackwork all campaign so we just need her to bring her level of work in the mornings to the racetrack now. She's dropping in grade quite significantly here so it's easier than races she's been contesting thus far, but it's by no means an easy race with the top rated horse being 90. Teo will let her land where she's comfortable from barrier 5 and allow her travel in a good rhythm, but we expect her to be leading or close to it. With plenty of rain this week the track conditions are currently rated a Heavy 9 which is a step into the unknown, but Jye said she relished getting her toe in at Caulfield on Tuesday morning so we are hopeful that she will handle the conditions presented. She’s in terrific shape and she looks great, so if she turns up in the right frame of mind and enjoys a good run in transit she's more than capable of challenging at the finish.
