Chris Waller’s VRC Derby winner from the spring, Riff Rocket, now has the Australian Derby in his sights looking for the interstate double after an impressive victory for the punters in the 2024 Rosehill Guineas results.
2024 Rosehill Guineas winner Riff Rocket is onto the Australian Derby a last start Group 1 champ. Photo: Steve Hart.
With the win by the talented American Pharoah gelding Riff Rocket in the $750,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), Waller equalled the champion Gai Waterhouse with 159 career Group 1 victories.
He took out the opening two elite levels on Golden Slipper Day with his imported mare Via Sistina successful first-up in the Ranvet before a return to winning form by Riff Rocket in the Rosehill Guineas.
The gun youngster was a surprise first-up champ in the Group 3 CS Hayes over just 1400m before finishing third last time out in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
He was given the perfect ride by Nash Rawiller third-up back to a more suitable trip with the hoop allowing the well-backed favourite to settle second last in the run.
With 800m left to travel Rawiller crept out three-wide to give Riff Rocket room for a big finish.
In a good, solid performance by the now two-time Group 1 winning three-year-old, Riff Rocket made up all the ground from the back coming wide around the home turn before charging right down the outside late.
He was too strong for his rivals posting a dominant victory over the Joe Pride-trained Tavistock colt Ceolwulf ($15) with another Waller runner, Snitzel colt Cap Ferrat ($18), third completing the Rosehill Guineas trifecta.
“He’s a Derby winner and he’s a Rosehill Guineas winner, he’s showed touches of brilliance in between as well, so that was a pretty satisfying win today for the team,” Waller said of Riff Rocket.
“The draw was tricky, he had to come from a long way back, but Nash knew what he had under him and he backed him for a solid finish and that’s what he produced.”
Rawiller was blow away by the horse’s performance and was full of post-race praise.
“To be honest, I feel like it was a bit of a present from the great man Chris Waller because I knew he was a pretty special horse but I didn’t realise how good he was until before the race when he told me,” the hoop said.
“He’s done a wonderful job here today, the horse. He probably stole one last year and he’s repaid me this year.”
Riff Rocket could potentially target Randwick’s Group 1 $2 million Australian Derby (2400m) on April 6 during ‘The Championships’.
The Rosehill Guineas – Australian Derby double has not been completed since Criterion (2014).
All-in Australian Derby 2024 odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au however on Riff Rocket to be the next have firmed into $2.50 and can be found in full here.
2024 Rosehill Guineas Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | RIFF ROCKET | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 8 | 56.5kg | $2.70F | |||
| 2 | 9 | CEOLWULF (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Blake Shinn | 0.76L | 11 | 56.5kg | $15 | ||
| 3 | 8 | CAP FERRAT | Chris Waller | Ryan Moore | 1.08L | 9 | 56.5kg | $18 | ||
| 4 | 6 | GANBARE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 1.34L | 4 | 56.5kg | $14 | ||
| 5 | 7 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Currie | 1.41L | 12 | 56.5kg | $7.50 | ||
| 6 | 4 | TOM KITTEN | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 1.59L | 2 | 56.5kg | $3.30 | ||
| 7 | 10 | DUCASSE | Michael Freedman | Tyler Schiller | 3.42L | 1 | 56.5kg | $61 | ||
| 8 | 5 | KING COLORADO | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 5.59L | 3 | 56.5kg | $10 | ||
| 9 | 12 | STEEL BLAZE | Brett Lazzarini | Reece Jones | 5.89L | 5 | 56.5kg | $201 | ||
| 10 | 3 | CAFE MILLENIUM | John O’Shea | Tom Marquand | 9.32L | 6 | 56.5kg | $21 | ||
| 11 | 11 | COSMIC LAD | Edward Cummings | Chad Schofield | 14.27L | 10 | 56.5kg | $101 | ||
| 1 | MILITARIZE (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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