Carnival Rounds Out At Rosehill Gardens On Stakes Day

30 March, 2024

Rosehill Gardens‘ part in the Sydney Autumn Carnival came to a close this afternoon in Sydney’s west.

The $1.5 million Kia Tancred Stakes and $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes were the highlights on the track on Stakes Day, while off it, it was Family Fun Day with many free attractions for the kids including a petting zoo, rides, freebies and a visit from the Easter Bunny to keep them entertained.

In the feature of the day, the Kia Tancred Stakes, it was an upset with Kalapour saluting at huge odds for trainer Kris Lees and young jockey Dylan Gibbons. More Felons and Ashrun filled the minor placings in somewhat of a rough result, with race favourite Post Impressionist and second pick Buckaroo missing the top four.

James McDonald collected another Group 1, this time the $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes, thanks to New Zealand star filly Orchestral. McDonald had to get everything out of Orchestral to run down Tutta La Vita, after jockey Nash Rawiller took off early and tried to pinch the race.

It was the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly’s first Group 1 success in Australia, having captured the NZ Derby at Ellerslie at her previous start. Orchestral is currently odds-on with TAB at $1.80 to win The Star Australian Oaks.

Other highlights on Stakes Day were:

*Tommy Berry dominating the early to middle part of the program with a treble in races three, four and five on Linebacker, Wymark and Olentia

*Another Will completely dominating the Racing And Sports Doncaster Mile Prelude, winning by two-and-a-half lengths. Bandersnatch and Welwal filled the minors. Another Will now has five wins and two placings from seven career starts

*Serpentine climbed off the canvas in the James Squire Neville Selwood Stakes. After being headed in the straight, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained runner, under the urgings of Tim Clark, beat off race favourite Zeyrek with Renaissance Woman not far off in third. TAB shifted his odds to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes off the back of that success, $201-$51.

*John O’Shea’s promising colt Linebacker remained unbeaten after nosing out Anode in the Hyland Race Colours Baillieu. Tommy Berry had to get everything out of the son of Super Seth to overhaul the leader, with the pair clearing out from Broadsiding which made good ground for third.

*Olentia was ultra impressive in taking out the Canadian Club Emancipation Stakes for Chris Waller.

*Bandi’s Boy swept home down the centre of the track at good odds, winning the Group 3 Egroup Security Star Kingdom Stakes. The Danny Williams-trained and Jay Ford-ridden galloper was backed in late too, $23-$15, on TAB Fixed Odds, landing some good bets in the process. The gelding shortened in betting even further for next week’s Newhaven Park Country Championships Final, with TAB trimming his price into $2.50

*Ciaron Maher securing a late double thanks to Another Will and Gringotts (HKJC World Pool Handicap), with the latter also giving James McDonald a double of his own

Focus for the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival now heads to Royal Randwick for three straight Saturdays, with the first of those being The Star Championships Day 1 (April 6)