Lucrative purses are the tone of the day at Rosehill Gardens on Hill Stakes Day!
There are ten winners to be found in total, and I’ve provided all of my thoughts and 2023 Hill Stakes Day Tips below.
Highway Handicap (1500m) – 12:40pm AEDT
Atmospheric Rock steps out this week in peak order, and he’s the one for me in the Highway Handicap.
The Your Song gelding is yet to strike in three runs back from a break, but there’s no doubt he has improved for each, and he was only half a length behind he winner here a fortnight ago.
This looks his opportunity to strike.
Suggested Bet: No. 11 Atmospheric Rock
Midway Handicap (1400m) – 1:15pm AEDT
Backrower is another galloper that should be at peak fitness in Sydney this week.
The Astern gelding was a little disappointing in a similar race over 1200m first-up this time, but he has turned in two improved performances to finish fourth at each of his last two.
The drop back to 1400m looks to suit, while Tommy Berry jumps into the saddle for the first time this campaign.
Suggested Bet: No. 8 Backrower
ACY Securities Handicap (2000m) – 1:50pm AEDT
Gan Teorainn has improved for three runs since arriving in Australia and does look ready to peak this week.
The Saxon Warrior mare showed decent ability over in Europe earlier in her career, and after blowing off the cobwebs in her first two starts this time, I thought she was good through the line when third, beaten less than a length at her latest.
She looks to be crying out for the 2000m, while the booking of Kerrin McEvoy adds further confidence.
Suggested Bet: No. 4 Gan Teorainn
Racing And Sports Handicap (1100m) – 2:25pm AEDT
Doull typically keeps his best performances for earlier in his prep, and I thought that this looked a decent campaign launchpad.
The Snitzel entire has always hinted at ability without putting it all together, but he did race well around some decent horses last time in.
I like that he has been transferred to the care of Annabel Neasham this time, and that he’s had a couple of trials in the lead-up to this return.
Suggested Bet: No. 1 Doull
Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) – 3pm AEDT
Barber clearly needed his first run back this time to tune up, and I’m pretty confident in his chances in the Roman Consul Stakes.
The Exceed And Excel colt was excellent during his two-year-old prep, picking off some lovely races and finding form around some of his age group’s best.
After a few scratchings, he finally stepped out in the Heritage Stakes, and he did rattle home with the fastest final 600m in that race.
With natural improvement and under Nash, I thought the $7 about him at publish was a touch of overs.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Barber
Tapp-Craig (1400m) – 3:35pm AEDT
Encap was excellent in the Golden Rose a fortnight ago, and I think he’s going take a power of beating in the Tapp-Craig.
The Capitalist gelding is yet to miss a place in six trips to the races, and broke his maiden in the Ming Dynasty Quality before finishing the flare of a nostril second behind Militarize last time.
He’s hard fit, this isn’t as strong a race, and he is my best bet on the program.
Suggested Bet: No. 1 Encap
Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) – 4:10pm AEDT
Happy to give Montefilia another chance in the Hill Stakes.
The multiple Group 1 winner hasn’t managed to record a race win in three starts back from a spell, but she’s another galloper that has steadily improved with each, and she was last seen running third behind Just Fine in the Kingston Town Stakes.
That form has obviously been franked, and I think that this is the perfect race for this girl.
Suggested Bet: No. 11 Montefilia
Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) – 4:45pm AEDT
I thought that Waterford just looked a run short a couple of weeks ago, and he looks primed to strike in the Alan Brown Stakes.
The Awtaad gelding finished third, beaten just over half a length in the Theo Marks Stakes first-up, before running third again in the Shannon Stakes at his latest.
There’s plenty of talent engaged in this contest, but I think that the 1400m will prove to be the perfect distance for Waterford, who is drawn to receive a lovely run under Brett Prebble.
Suggested Bet: No. 12 Waterford
Group 3 The Nivison (1200m) – 5:25pm AEDT
This looks to be one of the more open races on Hill Stakes Day from a betting perspective, and there are a few gallopers at odds that look to be winning chances in my opinion, including Willinga Beast $21 at publish).
She’s always hinted at above average ability, but she has won just one race in nine appearances.
She returned to finish fourth, beaten just over two lengths by Red Card here last month, and I like that she has been back to the trials since then.
With natural improvement, I think she can be in the finish, and we can have an each way play at the price.
Suggested Bet: No. 10 Willinga Beast
Cerrone Handicap (1300m) – 6:05pm AEDT
I’m expecting plenty of improvement from the second-up Kayobi this week and he can return to winning form.
The Maurice gelding has missed placing only twice in ten career starts to date; those races being credible fourth-placings in featured company.
He finished just over a length fourth behind Kibou at his first run back this time, and he should receive every chance in running this week.
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Kayobi
