Rosehill Inside Mail: Tim Clark mount Assailant ‘ready to run his best race this preparation'
Clark has ridden 24 stakes winners this season including two at Group 1 level to be the nation's third most successful jockey for Group and Listed wins behind James McDonald (42 wins) and Blake Shinn (27 wins).
It is Clark's best result at stakes level in a season, eclipsing the 23 winners he netted in 2022/23.
'I think obviously the Group 1 wins I had on War Machine in the Stradbroke Handicap and Royal Patronage in the Canterbury Stakes have been the highlights for me,'' Clark said.
'But it has been a great season overall and the Queensland carnival was good for me.
'I'm planning to take a break after Saturday. Brisbane is a long carnival and travelling up there and back constantly does take a bit out of you.
'So, I will have a break after Rosehill and then look to recharge my batteries for the new season.''
Clark has a busy day at Rosehill with rides in nine of the 10 races including the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott -trained Bases Loaded in the Winter Stakes.
Bases Loaded, with Clark in the saddle, resumed in the Civic Stakes and finished down the track behind Headley Grange.
'I'm sure Bases Loaded will improve on Saturday but he has a fair bit of ground to make up,'' Clark said.
'He will definitely strip a bit fitter as he is a big horse and takes some racing to get fit.''
Bases Loaded is rated a $19 chance in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting behind co-favourites Whinchat and Thunderlips at $4.80.
All bases covered! ðŸ'�
It’s all Bases Loaded in the G3 Sky Racing Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm for @GaiWaterhouse1 - Bott and @clarkyhk! @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/UqHCYiO3pr
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 15, 2024
Clark's best chances of improving on his 56 city wins that has him fourth in the Sydney jockeys premiership this season seem to rest with another Waterhouse and Bott-trained galloper, Assailant, and the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou -trained Diddle Dumpling.
Assailant is second emergency for the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) but the former English galloper is the $5.50 favourite after impressing in his two Australian starts, including a last-start third to Freight Train.
'Up to 2000m with blinkers going on, I think Assailant is ready to run his best race this preparation on Saturday,'' Clark said.
'He's still got to get a start but if he does I'm sure he will run well.''
🚂 Freight Train finally salutes to win the TAB Handicap at Rosehill! @MickPriceRacing pic.twitter.com/JaMUJua0L9
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025
Clark gets his first ride on the John Singleton-owned Diddle Dumpling in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1300m).
Diddle Dumpling was ridden by Nash Rawiller when she resumed with a runaway win at Gosford. She is rated a $7.50 chance behind the $4.80 favourite Gatekeeper for Saturday's race.
'It was a typical Nash 'heads up' ride on Diddle Dumpling the other day and she took care of the them pretty comfortably,'' Clark said. 'She's an improving filly.''
• Clinton Payne's race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday
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ROSEHILL BIG BETS & MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Raging Force $2.45-$2, Just Awesome $17-$11
Race 2: Zouripper $4.60-$3.10
Race 3: Exit Fee $3.60-$2.70, Powder Man $14-$9.50
Race 4: Lunaite $8-$5, Show 'Em Howl $26-$18
Race 5: Storm The Ramparts $3.30-$2.90, Deprivation $23-$11, Pokerjack $23-$13
Race 6: Let's Go Again $11-$7
Race 7: Sounds Unusual $11-$5.50
Race 8: Dollar Magic $11-$7, Cigar Flick $11-$8.50, Cosmonova $26-$14
Race 9: Thunderlips $6-$4.40, Whinchat $15-$4.80, Saltcoats $26-$16, Testator Silens $51-$23
Race 10: Kerguelen $3.50-$3.20, Sacred Rocks $6-$3.50, Brave One $4.40-$3.60
MARKET MOVERS: $15 TO $4.80 FEATURE RACE RUNNER @ClintonPayne reveals all the big betting moves for Saturday's races, including a runner that has been the subject of a concerted betting push ahead. ðŸ'‡ https://t.co/0uj1EqoSrA
— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 4, 2025
• Ray & Shayno's tips, analysis for Rosehill on Saturday
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EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 1,4,5,6
Race 4: 1,4,7
Race 5: 1,4,5
Race 6: 1,2,5,6
QUADDIE
Race 7: 1,7,14,17
Race 8: 8,11,13,14
Race 9: 2,4,8,10
Race 10: 5,8,10,12
‘Another concussion would kill me’ @BlakeSpriggs realises he has won the biggest race of his life. It’s why he can accept his riding days are over … and with it, his chances of winning The Everest on Headwall this year. Story: @RayThomas_1 ðŸ'‡ https://t.co/NDxGLOxQ6a pic.twitter.com/4S2FUsv9i8
— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 4, 2025
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PRICE CHECK
Race 9 No.8 WHINCHAT has been sensationally backed to win the Winter Stakes, firming from $15 to $4.80 and is pressing $4.40 favourite THUNDERLIPS (10) at the top of betting. Who starts favourite in the closer is anyone's guess. In race 10, KERGUELEN (5) heads betting at $3.20 but SACRED ROCKS (12) is $6 to $3.50 and BRAVE ONE (10) is $4.40 to $3.60.
Dominant!
Whinchat was just far too good out in front today. @DavidPfieffer pic.twitter.com/YsqJWqM9g7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 31, 2024
• Berry confident in Welwal's wet track advantage
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SECTIONAL STARS
Race 10 No.12 SACRED ROCKS was outstanding at her Sydney debut, coming from near last on the turn with a long, sustained run wide out to swamp her rivals over 1300m here three weeks ago. She ran her final 600m in a very fast 33.66s with a 11.08s closing 200m split. With three wins and two seconds from five starts, Sacred Rocks has obvious ability and the step up to 1400m suits her.
Sacred Rocks storms home on the outside to win the last at Rosehill! 🚀 @CMaherRacing @djgibbons22 pic.twitter.com/Cb4nSBxURl
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025
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TRIAL POINTERS
Race 4 No.7 GATEKEEPER is a superbly-bred three-year-old by undefeated US triple crown winner Justify and is the first foal out of Group 1 Surround Stakes winner Nakeeta Jane. The Chris Waller-trained Gatekeeper has only raced once for a stylish win at Canterbury last summer. He's resuming after two recent trials that hardly make inspiring reading on paper but were actually very good efforts. He was kept under a very tight hold when last of 9 in a Rosehill 900m heat then was desperate to go faster as he worked home well for fifth to the smart Terra Mater in a 740m Warwick Farm trial. Gatekeeper looks set to explode first-up at Rosehill on Saturday.
. @mcacajamez gets his first win in Australia for the year with Gatekeeper finding the gap and taking out the first at Canterbury! ðŸ'¥ @cwallerracing pic.twitter.com/1zjjj6qV65
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 17, 2025
Race 5 No.5 TARPAULIN is a promising sprinter with two wins from seven starts, both on heavy tracks last winter. Godolphin tested him at stakes level during the spring including a competitive fourth in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington. He hasn't raced since last October but has had two recent barrier trials and was particularly impressive winning over 900m at Canterbury last week. Tarpaulin settled outside the leader, cruised up and then drew clear of his rivals to win by nearly a length without being put under any pressure. Tarpaulin looks primed for his return to racing.
Tarpaulin runs away with it! ðŸ'¨ @mcacajamez and @JamesCummings88 combine to win the Randwick opener 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QuneyWq7uN
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 27, 2024
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BEST BET
Race 3 No.6 EXIT FEE was heavily backed into favouritism first-up in a Randwick Highway and he ran well without threatening for a half length second to the speedy Calico Miss. He had never previously won at the start of a campaign so his Randwick effort suggests he's in for a good winter preparation. Exit Fee will strip for that run and goes back to Rosehill where he won a Highway over 1300m when last in work. Drawn to get the run of the race, he's won second-up previously, handles soft track and is ready to win.
Calico Miss races away with the TAB Highway at Randwick! ðŸ'° @weir_mikayla @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/CpjNB97ZPp
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
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VALUE
Race 8 No.13 COSMONOVA has shaped promisingly in two runs from a spell including her closing third to stablemate Accredited at Randwick two weeks ago. The Joe Pride-trained Cosmonova returns to Rosehill where she has won over the 1200m course and although drawn a little wide, she should be able to slide across and settle in the front half of the field with cover. Cosmonova is at her peak after recent racing, she is unbeaten in two previous attempts third-up from a spell, and the soft track conditions are perfect for her. She's terrific value around $17.
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