Trainer John O’Shea has no concerns if there is pace on or not in the Listed $100,000 Myer Fashion Winter Stakes (1400m) for his in-form galloper Generalifeat Rosehill on Saturday.
Generalife is chasing a hat trick of wins in the Winter Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Generalife is racing in the best form of his career and is lining up for a hat trick of wins for O’Shea after winning over 1350m in restricted grade at Rosehill on June 14 and then scoring over the same track and distance with a runaway two and a quarter lengths victory in the Listed $100,000 Civic Stakes (1350m) at Rosehill on July 5.
O’Shea said that the Lonhro gelding can race in a forward position if there is no pace or can settle further back in the field if the speed is on as he did last start when Sam Clipperton brought him from midfield to score a decisive win.
“At my first look there looked to be enough speed but he can put himself in the first four if he has to,” O’Shea told the Sportsman.
“The other day when Sam rode him a bit more conservative and he hit the line very well.”
O’Shea has been able to get the best out of Generalife since taking over the reins at Darley in May and thinks there is still further improvement in the four year old.
“He’s come with a bit of a stigma about him but I have not seen that, for me all he has ever done is try,” O’Shea said.
Another win for Generalife in the Winter Stakes could see him join O’Shea’s Spring Carnival team with Darley Racing Manager Jason Walsh willing to step him to Group company.
“It has just been a matter of him getting his confidence back and now he is racing so well,” Walsh said.
“He may just be putting his hand up for a spring feature.”
Darley’s number one jockey Kerrin McEvoy is back aboard on Saturday and hoping for another win after steering Generalife to victory two starts back.
The Jason Coyle trained Scream Machine is also lining up for a hat trick of wins and the pair are sharing favouritism for the Winter Stakes at $3.30 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Scream Machine returned to Sydney form Queensland where he ran sixth to Spirit Of Boom in the Group 1 $650,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 24 to record a winning double at Rosehill on June 14 and June 28.
The Bart and James Cummings trained Romantic Moon is next in the betting at $7.50 and is also in winning form after leading all the way to take out BenchMark 83 Handicap over 1500m at Rosehill three weeks ago.
