3 minute read

Competitive fields in the second half of the program at Rosehill on Saturday are spearheaded by the Listed Festival Stakes.

The Listed Festival Stakes at Rosehill is the key lead up event into the Group 2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick in a fortnight’s time.

While held in the off season, these two stakes races hold extra importance with a success in the upcoming Villiers Stakes resulting in the winner becoming exempt from ballot in the lucrative Group 1 Doncaster Mile in the autumn.

Through the last four Villiers Stakes renewals, three winners have come out of the Festival Stakes, 2011 Festival Stakes winner Monton, All Legal (2012) and Ninth Legion (2013).

Frespanol is in the midst of an excellent campaign and wasn't far off posting consecutive wins when prominent throughout over 1350m at Rosehill a fortnight ago.

The sprint journey is not Frespanol’s optimum trip however the gelding still managed to produce a new master Timeform rating of 111 in the process.

That effort has Frespanol featuring prominently amongst this field on both 12 month and 50 day weight adjusted Timeform ratings.

It means the Gai Waterhouse-trained runner has produced improvement with each run this campaign and can take another step in the right direction here.

The gelding now rises back up to 1500m and appears well suited fifth run from a spell.

From a middle draw, Thomas Huet is expected to have the son of Choisir prominent on settling, not far off the anticipated speed likely set by noted frontrunner Nevagotavote.

It’s Somewhat resumes after a short two start campaign in the spring.

The son of Dynaformer produced midfield efforts behind the likes of Royal Descent in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) and Hooked in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m).

Such form reads extremely well in an off season handicap.

The gelding should have some residual fitness from those outings and has been readied for this with a Warwick Farm trial.

That said, fitness queries do remain about the son of Dynaformer first up off that short break.

A UK import, It’s Somewhat made his Australian debut in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup.

It was a winning one at that and returned the gelding a master Timeform rating of 117.

It’s Somewhat will be Villiers bound in a fortnight’s time and the Festival Stakes is profiling as a vital lead up run to prepare the John O’Shea-trained gelding for it.

While It’s Somewhat may be a touch soft in condition, class alone will see him a long way in this.

Heart Testa shapes as an interesting and genuine value player.

The son of Testa Rossa was just fair off a freshen up when fourth at this course over 1350m behind Zanbagh a fortnight ago.

It would have brought the gelding on though and a master Timeform rating of 116 achieved earlier this campaign brings him into calculations amongst this field on weight adjusted ratings.

The gelding rises to 1500m here and has the services of Blake Shinn engaged. Their lone prior race start in partnership yielded a success at this course.

Ninth Legion returns up the highway after being prominent throughout in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes.

The son of Fastnet Rock is drawn to receive all of the favours in behind the speed from barrier 1 and should be prominent throughout.

It should also be noted how the Team Hawkes-trained runner has produced some of his best work around this time of year in previous preparations, winning the 2013 Villiers Stakes.