Victoria Derby winner Ace High has been installed the favourite following the release of the final field for the 2018 Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ace High, above, is the early favourite for the 2018 Rosehill Guineas at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Ace High drew barrier eleven in the final field of eighteen plus three emergencies with Tye Angland in the saddle again and bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au have the David Payne trained colt at the top of the Rosehill Guineas market order at $4.20.
Next in the betting at $5.50 is Hugh Bowman’s mount D’Argento, one of six Chris Waller trained three year olds among the final acceptances for the Rosehill Guineas.
Waller looks likely to only have five runners after Tangmere, barrier thirteen, was made third emergency.
The only other two runners under the $10 mark are the Darren Weir trained Cliff’s Edge at $8 and New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance at $9.50.
Ace High has been unplaced from three runs back from a spell but the High Chaparral colt will be better suited to the 2000m of the Rosehill Guineas following his last start fourth to Kementari in the Group 1 $1m Mostyn Copper Group Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 10.
Angland has been associated with Ace High for the latter part of his career and as well as partnering him all through this Autumn Carnival campaign, was also aboard for his two Group 1 wins during the 2017 Spring Carnival in the $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and in the $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on the first day of the 2017 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
D’Argento is the most fancied of the Waller team and has drawn around the middle of the field at gate nine with Bowman back in the saddle, replacing Andrew Adkins who was aboard the So You Think colt last start when seventh in the Randwick Guineas.
Cliff’s Edge has the tough task of backing up in just over a week after winning the Group 2 $200,000 Hacer Group Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at The Valley last Friday night.
John Allen replaced Jamie Mott on Cliff’s Edge who will have no trouble finding a forward position from barrier one.
Cambridge co-trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman will supply a strong New Zealand presence in the Rosehill Guineas with Vin De Dance, Mission Hill and first emergency Mongolian Marshall.
Vin de Dance drew barrier three with Jason Waddell in the saddle again after steering the gelding to victory in the Group 1 NZ$1m NZ Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in New Zealand on March 3.
Mission Hill finished sixth behind his stablemate in the NZ Derby and drew barrier eight in the Rosehill Guineas with Damian Lane booked to ride.
The Kiwis will also be represented with the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained Age Of Fire (Jason Collett, barrier fifteen) and Mongolianconqueror (Ope Bosson, barrier twenty-one).
