The Parramatta Cup isn’t the main show at Rosehill this weekend, but it is likely to provide an important Sydney autumn carnival preview.
A host of talented stayers will step out in Saturday’s 1900-metre assignment on their way towards some of the major distance races, including the Tancred Stakes (2400m) and Sydney Cup (3200m).
Among them will be five horse from the powerful Chris Waller yard – Asterix, Francesco Guardi, Zechariah, Manzoice and Kinesiology, while stablemate Etna Rosso is an acceptor but likely to run in Melbourne.
Both former Irish galloper Kinesiology and 2022 New Zealand Derby winner Asterix were warming up late when sixth and seventh respectively in the Gardenia Handicap (1600m) first-up, and Waller has aspirations to aim them towards the Group 1 Tancred Stakes on March 29.
“They’re both top three chances. They have come out of the race well,” Waller said.
“Kinesiology, he will have a pretty light autumn, not necessarily go to a Sydney Cup because he is a spring carnival horse in my opinion.
“(Asterix) showed a bit of speed in his trials and his first-up run was good.
“If he comes up to his New Zealand Derby form he’s good enough to be running in a Tancred. Kinesiology…. is on a similar path.”
Francesco Guardi resumes in the Parramatta Cup and usually improves deeper into his campaign, while Waller reports Manzoice has been pleasing him at home and “this is his type of race”.
However, the horse to watch may well be Zechariah, a Group 3 winner in England who makes his Sydney debut following a three-start spring preparation in Victoria.
The import also holds a nomination for the Tancred Stakes, along with entries for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and Sydney Cup (3200m).
“He had a light spring, a late spring, but he is a really talented horse,” Waller said.
“You’ll see something from him. He’s first-up at 1900 but he raced in December so he’s got residual fitness.”
Kinesiology is the most fancied of the Waller runners on Saturday at $9 with the in-form Our Anchorage a $2.40 race favourite with online betting sites.
