Punters keeping faith with Hinged in Rosehill Gold Cup
Boasting a form reference around one of the high-flying horses of the spring, Hinged is again drawing in punters as she looks to shed her bridesmaid tag in the Rosehill Gold Cup.
The prolific placegetter, whose last win came 32 months ago in the 2022 Surround Stakes, is a steady $4.80 favourite to break her extended drought in Saturday’s middle-distance contest.
While she has been costly for punters, Hinged has been a remarkably consistent performer for connections.
She nabbed her eleventh minor placing when rattling home for third in the Angst Stakes (1600m) last start after getting back from a wide draw, and missing out in a desperately close photo finish to stablemate Buckaroo three starts ago.
It is that effort that has trainer Chris Waller optimistic Hinged can finally land a knockout blow in the Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m), given Buckaroo has subsequently been successful at Group 1 level and finished runner-up in the Caulfield Cup.
“She has got the best form. She has got Buckaroo form,” Waller said.
“It was a dead-set photo and Buckaroo has gone down and won an Underwood, second in a Turnbull (Stakes), second in a Caulfield Cup and he’s about to, I hope, go well in a Melbourne Cup.”
Waller felt a wide draw cost Hinged in the Angst and from barrier five, he expects her to get a more economical run.
Medatsu will chase his first stakes success in the Group 3 race, earning the opportunity after winning three of his five campaign starts, the latest when rounding up a benchmark 88 field over Saturday’s course and distance.
He will need to rise to another level again at Rosehill, where his rivals also include Q22 winner Fawkner Park ($9.50) and former European Relentless Voyager ($6), who has been the subject of market support for his Australian debut.
“Model of consistency this preparation,” Waller said of Medatsu.
“Let’s hope he can just lift a little bit.”
Th champion trainer will also be represented by Joliestar ($5) and Chrysaor ($126) in the Golden Eagle (1500m) and is bullish the former can make amends for her luckless seventh in The Everest (1200m).
“She just didn’t get luck,” Waller said.
“The race didn’t pan out how we thought, she got bottled up in a tricky spot and flashed late.
“I won’t be worrying about it if she wins on Saturday.”
More Racing News
Red Aces chasing Ryan a G1 first in the Victoria Derby
Right from the day Nick Ryan and his stepfather Jeff Gordon outlaid $380,000 for Red Aces at a yearling sale, the Group 1 Victoria Derby has been the dream. That dream could become reality when Red Aces lines up in the blue riband event for three-year-olds over 2500m at Flemington on Saturday. Red Aces is...
Lady out to beat the boys in 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes
Trips up and down the Hume Highway between Melbourne and Sydney does not seem to faze the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Adrian Bott-trained Lady Of Camelot. The Golden Slipper winner has been doing it throughout her brief racing career as she is about to embark on her third start in...
Gear and gate significant in Private’s latest quest in Russell Balding Stakes
A dash of equine psychology combined with an overdue inside draw is the hoped-for key to Private Eye flipping his form and erasing Joe Pride’s unhappy memories of last year’s Russell Balding Stakes. Private Eye hasn’t been far away in three campaign runs, including a last start sixth from a wide gate...
Lazzat adds French twist to $10m The Golden Eagle
It has been almost two decades since Jerome Reynier’s last trip to Australia and back then, becoming a horse trainer wasn’t at the top of his bucket list. As a member of Godolphin’s highly respected Flying Start program, Reynier had designs on working in bloodstock and for a while, that was the path...
Rey Magnerio set for dual Melbourne Cup week runs
From the time Rey Magnerio entered the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable for a spring campaign, circles had been placed around two races during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. The first of those comes up on Saturday, the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) with the second, the Listed...
Sea King races into 2024 Melbourne Cup with Bendigo Cup win
UK-trained Sea King has emerged as a Melbourne Cup contender after an impressive Australian debut victory at Bendigo. Success in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) on Wednesday qualifies the Harry Eustace-trained stayer for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. Sea King is liable for a rehandicap for the Melbourne Cup...
Chris Waller keeps working on his Melbourne Cup Legend
Chris Waller’s agile training techniques were on show with Via Sistina ahead of last week’s Cox Plate and the champion trainer is now getting proactive with Melbourne Cup hopeful Land Legend. The Group 1 The Metropolitan winner was not a part of Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup field, but the imported stayer still...
Kitten’s ‘Wulf form to fly in The Golden Eagle
Gelded prior to this campaign, Tom Kitten will chase Saturday’s Golden Eagle (1500m) and the $10 million purse that comes with it, with trainer James Cummings believing his Group 1 winner brings the right form. Tom Kitten was last seen running into fourth behind Ceolwulf in the Group 1 King Charles III...
Zipaway on right track for G1 Railway Stakes assault
Reigning WA Guineas winner Zipaway is set to stamp himself as a key Pinnacles contender in this Saturday’s Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m), according to jockey Steven Parnham. Zipaway is set to have his first start in Perth this weekend since he finished third in last year’s Northerly Stakes (1800m). The...
Via Sistina withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup 2024
Record breaking Cox Plate winner Via Sistina will miss the Melbourne Cup but is still likely to be seen in action during the week. A roundtable discussion between trainer Chris Waller, Yulong’s General Manager Vix Cox along with Yulong principal Yuesheng Zhang and his daughter decided to bypass the Cup in favour...