A decision by Chris Waller to run Riff Rocket against his own age in the 2024 Rosehill Guineas is expected to pay dividends with the gun youngster favourite for the Slipper Day showdown.
Riff Rocket is tipped to return to Group 1 winning form in the 2024 Rosehill Guineas field on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The spring’s VRC Derby champ was a dual acceptor on the Rosehill race card on Saturday but has subsequently been scratched from the Ranvet Stakes in favour of the Group 1 $1 million Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
Third-up and fit the ultra-consistent American Pharoah gelding is a five-time winner from nine starts to date and gets out over a distance now off two good autumn lead-ups.
He won the Group 3 CS Hayes over 1400m fresh in a surprise before a last start third only two lengths beaten in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (2000m).
With the Derby win at headquarters last year over 2500m, Riff Rocket is tipped to improve on his latest run and return to the winners’ stall when jumping from barrier seven with Nash Rawiller aboard.
The latest Rosehill Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Riff Rocket at $2.60 and firming to hand Waller a fourth win in the race following his earlier victories with D’Argento (2018), The Autumn Sun (2019) and Lindermann (2023) last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
A further three runners join Riff Rocket under $10 in Rosehill Guineas betting for this weekend including the $3.40 second elect Tom Kitten.
The James Cummings-trained Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes winner over this distance last October comes off three unplaced runs this prep but should be ready to fire now up to 2000m.
At his latest he was under a length off Celestial Legend in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m), a key lead-up for this race, and he presents as a big danger now with Hugh Bowman replacing Rawiller in the saddle.
The Ciaron Maher-trained King Colorado ($7.50) in gate three and the undefeated Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Immediacy ($8.50) wider out in gate 11 are the other single-figure Rosehill Guineas fancies.
King Colorado chases his first victory since claiming Brisbane’s Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) as a two-year-old in June last year.
He was second to Riff Rocket fresh in the CS Hayes before a somewhat disappointing 10th in the Australian Guineas he is out to atone for her.
Tarzino gelding Immediacy is out to remain undefeated at his fourth start up notably in class but tipped to handle his first 2000m assignment after a barnstorming three-length romp home at Caulfield in the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) in late February.
The 2024 Rosehill Guineas is set to run as Race 6 at 3:15pm (AEDT) and updated market from Ladbrokes.com.au can be found here.
2024 Rosehill Guineas Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11x5158x22 | MILITARIZE (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 7 | 56.5kg | 110 | ||
| 2 | 7x12121x13 | RIFF ROCKET | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 8 | 56.5kg | 107 | ||
| 3 | 150x840x93 | CAFE MILLENIUM | John O’Shea | Tom Marquand | 6 | 56.5kg | 100 | ||
| 4 | x13321x654 | TOM KITTEN | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 56.5kg | 100 | ||
| 5 | 1x9740x220 | KING COLORADO | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 3 | 56.5kg | 96 | ||
| 6 | 6x41183x79 | GANBARE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 4 | 56.5kg | 87 | ||
| 7 | 111 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Currie | 12 | 56.5kg | 84 | ||
| 8 | 35x9732x67 | CAP FERRAT | Chris Waller | Ryan Moore | 9 | 56.5kg | 83 | ||
| 9 | 312x6x66 | CEOLWULF (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Blake Shinn | 11 | 56.5kg | 82 | ||
| 10 | 7x4763x187 | DUCASSE | Michael Freedman | Tyler Schiller | 1 | 56.5kg | 82 | ||
| 11 | 4130 | COSMIC LAD | Edward Cummings | Chad Schofield | 10 | 56.5kg | 62 | ||
| 12 | 64104×7819 | STEEL BLAZE | Brett Lazzarini | Reece Jones | 5 | 56.5kg | 61 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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