Eighteen, plus three emergencies, have accepted for Saturday's G1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), with the dual Group 1-winning colt Ace High (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) likely to start favourite. A winner at his only start over 2000m, when successful in the G1 Spring Champion S. at Royal Randwick on Oct. 7, trainer David Payne has always indicated we wouldn't see the best of his star colt until he was up to this trip, and coming into Saturday's race off a fourth behind Kementari (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) in the 1600m of the G1 Randwick Guineas, the only concern would be his apparent lack of wet form, having failed in all four attempts.
Successful over the 2040m last start in the G2 Alister Clarke S. at Moonee Valley, Darren Weir's front-running colt Cliff's Edge (Aus) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) does have a win on soft going, and with the colt likely to jump and go forward from the inside gate connections will be hoping that by race six on the day that the inside portion of the track is not too chopped up.
The form from the G1 New Zealand Derby more than often carries across the Tasman and this year we have first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth all travelling over for the race. With solid wet form, New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc de Cambes {NZ}) needed every inch of the 2400m last start to take the prize, and the slight concern here is dropping back to the 2000m, but he is clearly classy, and co-trainer Murray Baker knows what it takes to win the race, having trained outstanding colt Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}) to victory in 2013.
Surprising quite a few with his gallant fifth in the New Zealand Derby, beaten less than two lengths, the Chris Gibbs-trained Endowment (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) has the services of Damien Oliver here and from one of the widest barriers is likely to settle back and could be charging late once again at big odds.
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