Front runner Two Blue is set to relish the wet conditions at Rosehill on Saturday when she lines up in the Listed $100,000 Sydney Markets Limited Winter Stakes (1400m).
Two Blue is set to relish the wet conditions in the Winter Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Two Blue has had two wins and three placings from seven starts on a heavy track and three wins and three placings from eight goes on a soft track and is certain to get another rain affected track on Saturday.
Two starts back Two Blue scored an all the way win on a heavy 8 in the $85,000 BenchMark 85 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on June 27 and was then just collared by the John O’Shea trained Haussmann when she tried to lead all of the way on a heavy 8 again when second in the Listed $100,000 Civic Stakes (1350m) at Rosehill on July 4.
The Rosehill track was rated a heavy 8 on Thursday morning and with more rain on the horizon Australian Turf Club racecourse manager Lindsay Murphy is expecting a downgrade by Saturday.
“The way the forecast is, we could be looking at a (heavy) 10 more than anything else,” Murphy said.
Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan is happy with the way Two Blue is racing so consistently and is anticipating another bold front running performance from the six year old mare in the Winter Stakes.
“Things are going really well, I just hope I can keep the momentum going,” Buchanan told AAP.
“The horse is well, she’s ready to go and I’m happy with the barrier draw.”
Two Blue had to cross most the field from barrier eleven with Winona Costin in the saddle to reach the front in the Civic Stakes but jockey Paul King is certain to find the lead a bit easier this week from gate six.
Two Blue is the current $4.20 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au to bounce back into the winner’s circle in the Winter Stakes just ahead of Blake Shinn’s mount You’ll Never at $4.60 while Haussmann is on the next line of betting at $6.
Hugh Bowman’s will be riding the Joe Pride trained See The World, a $9 chance, who made up some ground in the wet in the Civic Stakes to finish third behind Haussmann and Two Blue.
