Australian Racing: Jimmysstar can sparkle at Moonee Valley

There’s a big day of racing with plenty of Group 1 contests, including both the Golden Slipper and Rosehill Guineas.

Race 8 Rosehill

Rivellino @ 10.00

Race 6 Rosehill

Goldrush Guru @ 5.50

Race 9 Moonee Valley

Jimmysstar @ 3.00

Rivellino to take Slipper

The previously mentioned 1200m Group 1 Golden Slipper comes up as the eighth race at Rosehill.

A good 4 track is expected for the 1200m contest, with Wodeton set to prove popular in the market.

The son of Wootton Bassett represents 2023’s winning trainer Chris Waller, having made the perfect start to his career when saluting in impressive fashion over 1100m here in January.

That success came on a soft 7 track and he has gone well in Group 2 company in both subsequent starts, including when runner-up in the Darley Todman Stakes over this distance at Randwick.

The youngster has a good barrier two from the rail here with James McDonald, on board on debut and at Randwick set to partner the colt who wears winkers for the first time here.

Unbeaten RIVELLINO is preferred on this occasion, with the colt having recorded three wins in as many starts at Randwick.

Trained by Kris Lees, the colt came home two lengths clear of his rivals when contesting a 1000m maiden held on a good 4 surface in early January.

The Too Darn Hot colt got the better of 15 rivals when following up by just under half-a-length in the 1100m Inglis Millennium a month later, prior to saluting in Group 2 company last time out.

That latest victory saw the selection get home by a narrow margin when contesting the Skyline Stakes when again encountering a good 4 surface.

While Rivellinok has been ridden with restraint in his last two starts, he was ridden closer to the speed when winning on debut.

Hugh Bowman is set to ride for the first time here and, jumping from an inside barrier, his mount looks up to recording his first win at this level.

Guru for Guineas glory

Earlier on the Rosehill card the sixth race of the day is the 2000m Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.

Broadsiding is expected to jump a short-priced favourite for this event, stepping up in distance following a half-length second in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas over 1600m two weeks ago.

The multiple Group 1 winning colt should have no issues with the distance here, having placed third against his elders in the 2040m Group 1 Cox Plate in October.

However, Andrew Gluyas’ GOLDRUSH GURU is preferred on this occasion, with the colt having won at this level when taking out the 2500m Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington in November.

The colt was given a break following that win and he has shown improvement with racing since, resuming with a ninth over an inadequate 1100m in Listed company at Morphettville in January.

Goldrush Guru delivered his best effort in two subsequent outings when beaten less than two lengths into third in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington at the start of this month.

The son of American Pharoah raced on a good 3 track that day but handles softer surfaces so any overnight rain would be no issue.

Jamie Melham, on board for the pick’s Victoria Derby success and for each of his last two starts, is again set to ride and she looks up to partnering him to his second Group 1 success.

Star to shine on William Reid

The sole Group 1 contest at Moonee Valley is the ninth race of the day, the 1200m William Reid Stakes.

A soft 5 surface is expected with JIMMYSSTAR arriving here in good form having won three of his five starts this season.

The five-year-old was spelled following a down-the-field effort in the 1400m Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield in November.

Ciaron Maher’s representative returned in good form seeing off 15 rivals in registering a victory by over a length in the 1100m Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.

Jimmystar raced on a good 3 track that day but a slightly softer track should be no issue, having performed well on soft going at a lower level and in New Zealand in the past.

The gelding had She’s Bulletproof, who is set to reoppose here, back in second in the Oakleigh Plate but he looks capable of confirming that form stepping up to 1200m.