O’Shea Pair Well Credentialled For Angst

Trainer John O’Shea will have a strong hand in the Angst Stakes with a mare who is unbeaten this preparation and another who is undefeated second up.

All Saints’ Eve will be chasing her third win in succession after backing up a narrow victory at Randwick in August with a last-start triumph in the Group Three Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle.

O’Shea’s only concern on Saturday is her wide gate and he is relying on jockey James McDonald to overcome it.

“She is a quality mare. ‘Macca’ will just have to do a bit of work there from the draw,” O’Shea said.

Barn mate Rocha Clock finished down the track in a leader-dominated race when she resumed at Rosehill last month.

However, O’Shea said the backmarker’s effort was better than it appeared and the four-year-old is unbeaten in two second-up runs.

“Rocha Clock has got a very good second up record and she looks to map very well from that draw (eight),” O’Shea said.

“She ran home in 33.4 (seconds) last start and couldn’t make any ground on them. She’s going along well.”

Both mares are still in contention for the $7.5 million Golden Eagle later this month but O’Shea is favouring taking Rocha Clock to Melbourne where he believes the wide expanses of Flemington will suit her racing style.

“Probably All Saints’ Eve is more a chance than Rocha to go to the Golden Eagle, depending on what happens Saturday,” O’Shea said.

“I don’t know if Rosehill suits Rocha. She might be better at Flemington or somewhere like that.”

In a busy afternoon for the Randwick trainer, O’Shea will also start Lion’s Roar and Socrates in the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), while Acrophobic tackles the Stan Fox Stakes (1500m).

Acrophobic is coming off two midweek placings and while he is rising to stakes grade, he has been competing against older horses.

“His main target all preparation has been the Stan Fox and the Bondi and we’re really happy with where we’ve got him,” O’Shea said.

“He is a bit unlucky not be unbeaten this preparation.”