Impending most fancied O’Shea runner in Run To The Rose betting

Promising three year old Impending, the least raced colt of John O’Shea’s four runners, is the most fancied in the betting for the Group 2 $175,000 MTA Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Impending, above, is the most fancied John O'Shea runner in the betting for the Run To The Race at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Impending, above, is the most fancied John O’Shea runner in the betting for the Run To The Race at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

O’Shea will also saddle up Medaglia D’Oro colts Astern and Tessera as well as Telperion who sit below Impending in the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Impending has been very solid in early betting and has firmed in from an opening quote of $4.80 to be the second pick at $4.50 behind the firming $3.70 favourite Star Turn.

Astern is also well in contention at $6.50 ahead of Telperion at $13 while Tessera is one the outsiders of the twelve horse field at $51.

The Team Hawkes trained Star Turn has also had some support since Wednesday when the final field for the Run To The Rose was released and has shortened up slightly from $3.90.

Star Turn is expected to handle the heavy track conditions and has the advantage of having a run under his belt following his impressive first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 13.

Impending is yet to be tested on a rain affected track and from his only two starts on Good 4 rated track scored a debut win in an 1100m two year old Handicap at Rosehill on April 23 followed by a third to Royal Tithe in the Group 3 $125,000 Jaguar XJ Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.

O’Shea said that he didn’t give Impending an exhausting two year old campaign and he can see the benefits of that now that he has returned to the stable as a nicely rounded three year old colt.

“We didn’t throw him in the deep end as a two-year-old and I think it’s stood him in good stead,” O’Shea said.

“There’s improvement there and we’re looking forward to a nice prep with him.”

Impending has drawn midfield at barrier six and will be ridden for the first time by Brenton Avdulla.

Astern has the best record of the four O’Shea trained colts and has been to the races four times for three wins and one unplaced effort when eleventh in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19.

At his first race start Astern was successful in a 1000m Randwick two year old plate in December followed by a win in the Group 2 $250,000 UVEX Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 20 before running down the track in the Golden Slipper.

The flashy colt was quick to make amends at his next start when he dead heated for first with the Gai Waterhouse trained El Divino in the Group 3 $200,000 Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on April 2.

Godolphin’s number one stable rider James McDonald has the pick of four colts and decided to stick with Astern who has drawn nicely at barrier three.

Telperion is a winner once from five starts when he proved too strong for Prized Icon in the Listed $125,000 Huawei Lonhro Plate (1100m) at Randwick on February 13 and also ran second to Yankee Rose in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 2.

Jason Collett takes the ride on Telperion who will jump from gate eleven.

The longest priced of the O’Shea quartet is Tessera who has been to the races three times for two wins and a fourth with his best effort being a win on a heavy track in the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 30.

Tessera has drawn barrier four and Kathy O’Hara gets the mount.

Market order for The Run To The Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.70 Star Turn, $4.50 Impending, $5 Mediterranean, $5.50 El Divino, $6.50 Astern, $13 Telperion, $15 Good Standing, $51 Tessera, Manolo Blahniq, Nikitas, Cellarman, $126 Gadfly.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.