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Australian Racing: Desert Lightning can shock at Sandown

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Saturday with Group 1 action in Sydney, as Rosehill stages the 2024 renewal of the Golden Rose.

Race 8 Rosehill

Broadsiding @ 3.20

Race 7 Rosehill

Amelia’s Jewel @ 2.90

Race 7 Sandown

Desert Lightning @ 5.00

Broadsiding for Rose glory

The Group 1 Golden Rose is set to take place as the eighth race on a 10-race card at Rosehill.

A soft 5 track is expected for the race, with Storm Boy going on a retrieval mission following a defeat when jumping as favourite for the Group 2 Run To The Rose here two weeks ago.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, the son of Justify could finish only third on that occasion, having returned this campaign with a Group 3 win in the San Domenico here.

The colt was slowly away last time and jumping from a wide barrier he looks opposable, with the two ahead of him here last time, Anode and Traffic Warden, in opposition here.

Preference however is for Traffic Warden’s stablemate BROADSIDING, who was twice a winner at the top level as a two-year-old.

Those victories both came over 1600m, including by over four lengths in the J. J. Atkins at Eagle Farm in June.

James Cummings’ colt jumped as an odds-on favourite, having taken out the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1400m at the same venue on his previous start.

The son of Too Darn Hot finished strongly in the Sires’ Produce, having been ridden from well off the pace and he has trialled with a couple of seconds ahead of his return to action.

James McDonald’s mount will jump from next to the rail here and, while he lacks a run this prep, he looks capable of delivering a victory dropping back in distance.

Jewel to shine in Golden Pendant

The previous race at Rosehill sees a field of eight fillies and mares go to post for the Group 2 Golden Pendant over 1400m.

Semana is expected to have her supporters, having registered some good efforts at Group 1 level last season.

Those efforts included a length second when racing three wide in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara over this distance at Eagle Farm at the end of June.

This mare raced on a good 4 track that day and was freshened ahead of her return to action in the Winx Stakes at Randwick last month.

The five-year-old recorded a good effort in finishing fourth, having been keen in that contest and she has a good barrier in six here.

AMELIA’S JEWEL is set to jump one place closer to the rail and she is preferred for the Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald team.

The five-year-old won twice in Group 2 company in Melbourne in September last year, including in the Let’s Elope Stakes over this distance at Flemington.

This daughter of Siyouni’s subsequent efforts last season involved two starts in Perth and one in Adelaide.

Amelia’s Jewel trialled well ahead of her return to action at Randwick earlier this month, with the mare placing second in the Group 2 Ikon Tramway Stakes over this distance at Randwick.

Tommy Berry, on board last time out, is again set to ride and he his mount looks up to going one better in this event.

Lightning to strike at Sandown

There’s Group 3 action on the Hillside track at Sandown, with the 1500m Sandown Stakes set to take place on a soft 5 surface.

While European import Craig warrants the utmost respect, DESERT LIGHTNING is the pick on his second start since joining the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman stable.

The five-year-old won at the highest level in New Zealand when taking out the 1600m TAB Classic at Trentham last December.

Desert Lightning won on a good 4 track that day and went on to follow up in the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic over the same distance at Ellerslie.

The son of Pride Of Dubai resumed with a good third when beaten just over a length in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley three weeks ago.

Luke Nolen’s mount is expected to have improved for that effort and, with an inside alley here, he is taken to record his first Australian success.

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