Participator, Cliff House and Boss Lady Rocks to run at Randwick

Wagga Gold Cup carnival winners Participator and Cliff House will both step out for their next starts at city level on Saturday.

Participator will contest the $150,000 3&4YO Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m), while Cliff House will start one of the main fancies in the $120,000 TAB Class Three Plate Highway (1500m).

Danny Beasley will make the trip to retain the ride on both.

Participator produced arguably the best performance of his 10-start career when winning on Wagga Gold Cup day and Donnelly is keen to see what he can produce at Saturday metropolitan level.

"He's done really well. I'm really happy with him," Donnelly said.

"It was a really good win (last start), to my eye it was probably the best win of the carnival.

"It seems to have clicked with him now, it's a strong race, don't get me wrong, he's going from virtually racing only against country horses to city-class horses and a couple of them have run in stakes races but I'm happy with him and he gets in with a light weight.

"He's never run a bad race fresh, the only time he did was at Albury but you just put a line through that. All his fresh runs have been very good."

Cliff House gets his chance at Highway grade after establishing himself as one of the more promising stayers in the bush. He has three wins and four minor placings to his name from just seven starts.

Donnelly is confident he will measure up at Highway level.

"No doubt. Look at the form around him," he said.

"He beat Sizzling Cat and Reliable Dude. Reliable Dude has run twice since and ran third and second, just beaten both times. Sizzling Cat won, Smarter Than You finished well down the track and came out and won so it's actually been a strong form race, which always happens at the Wagga Cup carnival. The form usually holds up really well.

"I'd think he would be in the top two in the betting."

Cliff House won a Wagga trial since his win on Wagga Town Plate day.

"He probably trialled better the other day than what he did prior to his previous win so I'm really happy with him," he said.

"Once he had his first run, we actually targeted both these horses for this meeting today so once he got beaten at Albury it meant we could run at Wagga and still be eligible for this race. That's why I've trialled him in between, so I could be eligible for the Highway."

After getting the run of the race last start, Donnelly expects they may be a little more conservative from barrier 10 on Saturday.

"We actually prefer him back," he said.

"His last two runs he's been closer only because he's been there. It wasn't our intention either time. It was always our intention to be back because I reckon he's better back.

"He's got a big finish if he's ridden quietly, sometimes he can be a little bit one-paced when he's up close."

Donnelly is looking forward to seeing how both measure up but has a slight leaning to Cliff House as the better of his chances.

"I think Cliff House would be the better chance, he's in the easier race," he said.

"If you look at the betting, Cliff House will either be first or second favourite and Participator will be fourth or fifth maybe."

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ALBURY trainer Ron Stubbs will also head to Randwick on Saturday with classy mare Boss Lady Rocks.

A two-time city winner in Melbourne, Boss Lady Rocks is set to resume in the $150,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m).

Stubbs had nominated Boss Lady Rocks for a few races but decided that Randwick was the most suitable option.

"I'm real happy with her," Stubbs said.

"In herself, I think she's as good or better than she's ever been. She trialled nicely the other day. You always worry first-up will they come back and start where they finished off but all indications are she's okay."

Ben Osmond will take the ride, dropping Boss Lady Rocks to 56kg on Saturday from barrier seven.

Boss Lady Rocks has amassed five wins and five minor placings from 15 starts but Stubbs has not big plans with the mare.

"Not at all. She's not a mudlark but she can handle the softer tracks," he said.

"In winter, sometimes you get an easier crack at some of these city races. They're never easy but you just hope you find the right one and you're a chance."

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DANNY Beasley has moved into second spot on the Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) jockey's premiership.

Despite only having started riding here in January, Beasley has moved into second spot and is leading the chasing pack trying to run down Wagga apprentice Molly Bourke.

Bourke sits on 29 winners, three ahead of Beasley on 26. Billy Owen is third on 25, with Albury apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl rounding out the chances a further win back on 24.

With Bourke now based in Sydney with John O'Shea, the chasing pack are a good chance of running her down given there are still 10 race meetings remaining for the season.

In the trainer's premiership, Albury's Mitch Beer is in the box seat to claim a third consecutive SDRA title.

Beer (32 wins) holds a three-win lead over former Albury trainer Andrew Dale, who is now based at Wangaratta, on 29.

Interestingly enough, Wangaratta trainers sit second and third with Craig Weeding next on 22.

Donna Scott (19) and Tim Donnelly (14) round out the top five.

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WAGGA apprentice jockey Holly Durnan continued the impressive start to her career with a winner at Goulburn on Monday.

Durnan steered Charlemagne ($6.50) to victory in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1300m) for Goulburn trainer Danielle Seib.

It gives Durnan eight wins from her first 26 race rides.

She will head to Corowa on Thursday for two rides for her boss Gary Colvin.

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STEWARDS will re-inspect the Corowa track on Thursday morning before giving the final all clear for racing.

Southern District stewards inspected the track on Wednesday and rated it a heavy eight.

With further rainfall predicted overnight, stewards will conduct another inspection at 6.30am on Thursday.

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GALLOPS

Thursday: Corowa (TAB)

Tuesday: Wagga (TAB)

TROTS

Friday: Wagga (TAB)

Tuesday: Wagga (TAB)

DOGS

Friday: Wagga (TAB)

Tuesday: Temora (TAB)