Best Bets for San Domenico Stakes Day.

A firming race surface and the return of the new season three-year-olds delivers an exciting ten-race program at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The highlights of the card include the Group 3 Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) and Group 3 Smithfield RSL San Domenico Stakes (1100m).

Our best bet comes up in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m), with the exciting Peter Snowden-trained Raging Force.

The Cosmic Force gelding has made rapid improvement in his second preparation, after shedding his maiden status three runs back at Muswellbrook over 900m on June 1.

Cosmic Force's third win over this course and distance on July 5 - when he displayed good acceleration between runners before being throttled down late - was enough to convince Peter Snowden he deserves his shot in this company.

Tommy Berry has ridden him to success in his last two wins, including the latest tick over trial victory over 1080m at Randwick.

Expect to see Berry have Cosmic Force up on the speed with Beiwacht, who is likely to apply early pressure from his sticky draw. If Berry can skip a couple of lengths clear on straightening, Cosmic Force has the upside and fitness to defeat his more fancied rivals.

Well supported since early betting went up on Wednesday, Cosmic Force has now firmed into $2.30 favouritism.
 

Our next best comes up in the Merrylands RSL Club BM78 Handicap (1100m), with the Matt Dunn-trained mare Without Parallel.

The four-year-old mare is undefeated in four runs and keeps raising the bar after making a mess of her rivals over 1200m in Highway grade on the heavy track at Rosehill on August 2.

With Anna Roper's 2kg claim again tomorrow, expect to see Without Parallel handle the rise in grade back to the 1100m and further enhance her The Kosciuszko prospects.

SYDNEY SPECIALS

Race 8  No 7 Raging Force

Race 7 No 10 Without Parallel