Racing
Rose Aye stakes Country Championships claims
A look at some of the races on the Silver Slipper undercard.
Black type goal for Starphistocated
Trainer John Thompson has stakes race ambitions for improving mare Starphistocated after her strong win in the Midway Handicap (1500m).
"Starphistocated is a nice, progressive mare,'' Thompson said.
"Her Grand Final is the Epona Stakes where I'm trying to get some black type with her.
"She's a 2000m horse so that's the perfect race for this mare.''
Starphistocated ($3.80) took the field up to the tearaway leader before sprinting clear to score by a length Tartana ($31) and Iceman ($2.80 favourite).
Dale mare comes up Roses
A breathtaking performance at Rosehill has cemented plans to back-up Rose Aye in the Country Championships Qualifier at the Sapphire Coast next weekend.
Controlling Saturday's Highway Handicap (1300m) from the front, Rose Aye ($2.90 fav) toyed with her rivals to post a dazzling 7-1/4 length win over The Main Event ($201) with Ischyros ($101) another short half-head away.
Trainer Matthew Dale went into the race confident but was blown away by the ease of the four-year-old's win, confirming plans to take her to the south-coast heat of the Country Championships qualifiers next Sunday.
"We thought we could win. We didn't think she would win like that," Dale said.
"She will back-up in eight days in the Country Championships down the Sapphire Coast, all being equal."
Winning jockey Tommy Berry was aggressive from a wide draw but said once he found the front, Rose Aye enjoyed an easy lead and was good enough to capitalise.
"You just can't afford to give a filly of her quality that easy a time mid-race. She got a real picnic from the half mile (800m) to the corner and sprinted home really nicely," Berry said.
Former jockey remembered after poignant win
Comeback jockey Sam Clipperton gave his "former boss" Ron Quinton an early birthday present with a tactically perfect effort on Signor Tortoni in the Queen Bee Project Sprint (1100m).
But Clipperton only picked up the Signor Tortoni ride when Josh Parr stood down from the Rosehill meeting after the passing of his father, Stephen Parr.
"I knew Stephen well, I rode against him back in the day and he was a nice guy,'' Quinton said.
"My sympathies go to Josh and his family.''
Clipperton's initial thoughts post-race were also for Josh Parr.
"Obviously this is a very sad time for Josh,'' Clipperton said.
"My sincere condolences to Josh, Tim (Clark, brother-in-law) and their families.''
Clipperton was formerly apprenticed to Quinton and rode his first Group 1 winner for the trainer on Peeping in the 2015 Coolmore Classic.
But Clipperton, who rode Think About It to win the 2023 The Everest, "retired" from riding for 12 months before making his comeback last November.
"This is the first ride I've given Sam since he came back,'' Quinton said.
"He had to do his apprenticeship again!
"But it was nice to put Sam on a winner and lovely to win for the Tait family (owners). It is my birthday (Sunday), that was a great early present.''
Signor Tortoni ($11) finished fast to win by three-quarters of a length from Polyglot ($7.50) with Hezdarnhottoo ($14) third.
Captain brings up tonne for Waller
Captain Furai isn't the top dog in Chris Waller's stable, but he has delivered the champion trainer a significant milestone at Rosehill.
The gelding became Waller's 100th Sydney winner this season in Saturday's The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1300m), courtesy of a brave ride by Nash Rawiller.
Rawiller opted to take his medicine from a wide draw and save Captain Furai ($12) for a final effort in a plan executed to perfection, the five-year-old surging clear to score by three-quarters of a length over La Roja ($3.80) with Monte Veebee holding third ($3.40 fav).
"Nash said pre-race, 'I'm going to go back, save some ground and be strong in the straight and hopefully win the race. If it works out, I'll look like a genius. If it doesn't, we'll still have a horse'," Waller said.
"It has been a good season so far. We've got an awesome team of staff, horses, owners. Things are ticking along very well."
Waller indicated Captain Furai was likely to be freshened and brought back towards the end of the Sydney autumn carnival.
Quote of the day: "He just got too far back which hasn't helped but the run was good." – Jockey James McDonald on the return run of Autumn Boy, who finished third in the Hobartville Stakes.
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