2026 Stakes Day Tips & Preview (Rosehill) | Saturday 28 March

Audrey’s Lane turned in some fine performances throughout 2025, and after being taken straight to the lead in a race not dissimilar to this one over 1200m here when resuming, she held on to win. I think she’ll only improve for that effort and with a clear passage forward from the wide draw this week, I think she can turn in a similar performance and result.

A near AU$10 million horse in Barnavara makes her Australian debut in the Neville Sellwood and has opened at the unprincely sum of $1.65 in betting. She’s won five of thirteen career starts, including a Group 1 race in France, James McDonald rides and I think she’ll probably be winning all things considered, but the odds are very short. I can’t find anything that I am particularly keen on to beat her, so I am going to stay out of this one from a betting perspective.

Plagiarism returned this time for just her second career start in the Inglis Millennium and finished a credible sixth behind Fireball, while he was last seen finishing fifth in a Group 2 Skyline Stakes, beaten less than a length. Fitter third-up, out in trip and in what does look to be a weaker field, I think he’s ready to win.

Amreekiyah dusted off the cobwebs with a few fair performances resuming back in December, and after a quick freshen up in January, she’s been excellent in two Saturday metro races, highlighted by a sharp win in BM78 company at Randwick. I don’t think there’s any doubting her condition this week; she drops in the weights and is drawn to receive a lovely run from an inside alley.

Brave Danza has recorded just one win in his seven trips to the races since debuting, but he’s placed a further five times and has found form around some quality horses like Different Gravy. He settled a long way off the pace at Sandown when resuming and worked home well to fill the minors, beaten just over a length in the 1800m contest. This is a rise in class, but he strips fitter, looks suited to another rise in trip, and we can have an each way play at the price.

James McDonald gets another great chance at Group 1 glory when he partners Ohope Wins in the Vinery Stud Stakes. The former Kiwi has been nothing short of outstanding since debuting, and after breaking her maiden in Group 2 company at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, she’s since added victories in the Group 2 Fillies’ Classic and the Group 1 NZ Oaks. She’s had the benefit of a trial since joining Chris Waller’s team, this probably isn’t the strongest edition of the Vinery, and she can add another Group 1 race to her CV.

Tuileries returned to winning form with a nice performance in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes last time out. She’s always hinted at above average talent but has often proven to be a costly selection for punters in finding ways not to win. That being said, her latest efforts suggested she might have turned a corner now, and with further improvement into her third-up assignment this week, she looks to have strong winning claims again.

Aeliana is on the quick back up into the Tancred Stakes field and is clearly the one to beat again. Now a multiple Group 1 winner, the classy daughter of Castelvecchio took James McDonald level with Ladbrokes’ own Damien Oliver last weekend with a tough performance in the Ranvet Stakes. Hard fit this week, she’s ready to get out to the mile and a half, and she takes weight from each of her rivals to boot.

Ballot-free entry into next weekend’s Doncaster Mile goes on the line and while Sepals wouldn’t require that to gain a start, I still think he’ll be winning this race. The Calyx gelding was unlucky not to strike at the highest level during his three-year-old season, but he did manage to break through in the spring when leading home his rivals in the Rupert Clarke at Caulfield. Having ended that prep second behind Autumn Glow in a Golden Eagle, he was only a length behind the winner when fourth in the Newmarket Handicap when resuming and will relish getting out to 1500m this week with the benefit of that run under his belt.

Gangsta Granny has been a model of consistency since debuting, winning five of ten starts and placing on every other occasion, while finding form around some elite sprinters in the process. She looked perfectly placed in the Wenona Girl Quality fresh from a break and didn’t disappoint, and she’s another one that I think will only improve this weekend. Topweight and a wide alley are the knocks, but James McDonald retaining the ride certainly is not.