Rosehill Saturday 5th November Preview: Golden Gift & The Five Diamonds – Betting, Field & Tips
Several promising two-year-olds will descend upon Rosehill this weekend to compete in the $1 million Golden Gift. This race was inaugurated in 2015, and it is now a key event within the increasingly lucrative Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
Punters can also look forward to a new race called The Five Diamonds. It boasts a $2 million prize purse, making it one of the richest races of the spring, and it is open to five-year-olds that might have otherwise headed to the breeding barn.
Read on to learn more about each race, the top contenders and our tips for the Golden Gift and The Five Diamonds.
Golden Gift 2022
The Golden Gift provides punters with an early opportunity to check out the most exciting juveniles in the business. Elite two-year-old racing has historically been confined to the summer and the autumn, with the Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic at Gold Coast in January leading onto the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield and the Golden Slipper at Rosehill in the autumnal months,
However, the Golden Gift upends that tradition, as it is run two months prior to the Magic Millions. The race was first held in 2015, when Yankee Rose saluted, before going on to finish second in the Golden Slipper the following year, and win the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes. The prize money was bumped up to $1 million in 2019, when Dame Giselle won. Sneaky Five emerged victorious in 2020 and Sejardan won the race last year. Sejardan went off at $5.50, making him the lowest priced horse since the prize money increased to $1 million. Sneaky Five was priced at $9.50, while Dame Giselle was $13.
The Golden Gift is run over 1100m on the right-handed turf track at Rosehill. It is a set weights race. The winner takes home $580,000, with $190,000 earmarked for the runner-up.
Golden Gift Race Time
The Golden Gift will run at 15:30 on Saturday. It is Race 6 on the card, following the Furphy Handicap and ahead of The Hot Danish Stakes.
Golden Gift 2022 Leading Contenders
Summer Loving
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will have two runners in this race: Summer Loving and Coincide. This will be Summer Loving’s first start, but she looked sharp in trials. She opened at $4.50 for a fixed win, but she has now been backed into $4.20 after drawing Barrier 8. Regan Bayliss will be in the saddle.
Barber
The Godolphin colt won the Kirkham Plate at Randwick two weeks ago. It was his first start, and it was held over 1000m on soft ground. Hugh Bowman will return to pilot Barber in this race. He has drawn a wide barrier, but he should have the pace to overcome it.
Coincide
Coincide finished less than half a length behind Barber when running second in the Kirkham Plate at Randwick in October. The Waterhouse and Bott-trained colt will be ridden by Tommy Berry on Saturday, springing from Barrier 13. He has also landed a wide draw, but he displayed impressive speed on only start thus far.
Disneck
Another debutant who trialled well on soft ground at Randwick last week. The Bjorn Kaker-trained colt will jump from Barrier 3, piloted by Brock Ryan.
Infatuation
Another promising runner from the Baker stable, who will be ridden by Rachel King on Saturday. This filly has drawn Barrier 4.
Golden Gift Betting
| Horse | Fixed Win | Fixed Place |
| Summer Loving | $4.2 | $1.75 |
| Barber | $4.4 | $1.80 |
| Coincide | $5 | $1.95 |
| Disneck | $7 | $2.40 |
| Infatuation | $12 | $3.40 |
| Razors | $13 | $3.60 |
| Shine Your Light | $13 | $3.60 |
| Misty Legend | $16 | $4.20 |
| Flying Trapeze | $17 | $4.40 |
| Gitalong | $17 | $4.40 |
| Mexico | $18 | $4.60 |
| Line Of Law | $21 | $4.80 |
| Maharba | $26 | $5.50 |
| Kintyre | $51 | $9 |
| Mojave Desert | $51 | $9 |
| Speedster | $151 | $19 |
Golden Gift 2022 Tips
This is a tough one, as there is not much past performance data to analyse. Horses in the double digits often perform well in the Golden Gift, and $18 shot Mexico looks like an interesting option. He finished second at Moonee Valley on his only start thus far, half a length behind the winner, Arkansaw Kid, and he has drawn Barrier 6, with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
The Five Diamonds 2022
This is a new middle-distance race for five-year-olds. Racing NSW has stumped up $2 million for The Five Diamonds, which takes place over 1800m at Rosehill. Peter V’landys, chief executive at Racing NSW, said it is “always our ambition to keep the horses that the punters know in work as long as possible. We want to avoid them going elsewhere or to stud or wherever.”
That inspired Racing NSW to create the Golden Eagle, which has emerged as a feature race for four-year-olds. It provides owners with a compelling incentive to resist approaches from studs and continue racing their leading thoroughbreds beyond their three-year-old seasons. V’landys hopes to extend that via The Five Diamonds for five-year-olds.
“The Golden Eagle now is the second biggest wagering race in New South Wales, only second to The Everest,” he said. “Both new races that have been put in spring are the number one revenue producers. We are hoping The Five Diamonds can come in at number three and be new and attract those 5-year-olds. If we can make it attractive with excellent prizemoney, they may stay on in work and continue to be recognised by punters that have followed them since they were 2-year-olds.”
The Five Diamonds Race Time
The Five Diamonds will start at 16:50. It is Race 8 on the card, following on from the Hot Danish Stakes.
The Five Diamonds 2022 Leading Contenders
Ellsberg
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Ellsberg will bid to extend his winning streak to three races on Saturday. He saluted in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randick on 1 October, and he easily put his rivals to the sword in the Five Diamonds Prelude two weeks later.
The 1500m Five Diamonds Prelude is a lucrative race in its own right, with a $1 million prize purse, and Ellsberg finished well clear of rivals such as Sibaaq, Ayrton and Rustic Steel in that race. Rustic Steel went on to win the Big Dance.
Ellsberg is likely to take up the running after springing from Barrier 3 in this race. However, it remains to be seen how he will cope with the step up in trip. He has never previously been tested over a distance longer than 1600m.
Laws Of Indices
It is now a year since the Irish-bred Laws of Indices moved to Australia to join the Annabel Neasham yard. He has previously tasted Group 1 success at Deauville. Since landing in Australia, nine of his 11 starts have come at Group 1 level.
He is yet to salute for Neasham, but he performed well when finishing second to Tuvalu over 1600m in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap last month. He could only finish eighth in the Cox Plate, but he could relish a step back to 1800m on Saturday.
Ayrton
The Price and Kent Jnr-trained gelding’s last win came in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap in the autumn. He placed in the Testa Rossa Stakes in September, before finishing fourth in the Five Diamonds Prelude 2¾ lengths behind Ellsberg. However, he finished strong in that race, and he could enjoy the opportunity to stretch his legs over a longer distance this weekend.
Uncle Bryn
Uncle Bryn was dead last in the Toorak Handicap last month, but he placed in both of his previous starts. He will bid to recapture the form that saw him win four of seven starts in England before heading to Australia.
Diamil
The John O’Shea-trained Diamil justified his status as the favourite by winning over 1600m at Randwick on 22 October last start. He has two wins from four appearances since moving from England to join O’Shea’s yard, and his record in the UK and Ireland was very impressive.
The Five Diamonds Betting
| Horse | Fixed Win | Fixed Place |
| Ellsberg | $2.40 | $1.35 |
| Laws Of Indices | $4.60 | $1.70 |
| Ayrton | $8.50 | $2.25 |
| Uncle Bryn | $8 | $2.35 |
| Diamil | $11 | $2.80 |
| Rustic Steel | $14 | $3.40 |
| Sibaaq | $19 | $4.20 |
| Longvillers | $26 | $5 |
| New Mandate | $26 | $50 |
| Rebel Rama | $31 | $5.50 |
| Ita | $51 | $80 |
| Milford | $91 | $12 |
The Five Diamonds 2022 Tips
Ellsberg justifies his status as favourite, but his lack of experience over the distance is concerning. That could open the door for Laws Of Indices to return to winning ways, but an even better bet could be Diamil to place at $2.80. He was very impressive last start at Randwick, and he looks capable of finishing in the money on Saturday.
**Odds quoted are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change.
