Boasting a form reference around one of the high-flying horses of the spring, Hinged is again drawing in punters as she looks to shed her bridesmaid tag in the Rosehill Gold Cup.
The prolific placegetter, whose last win came 32 months ago in the 2022 Surround Stakes, is a steady $4.80 favourite to break her extended drought in Saturday’s middle-distance contest.
While she has been costly for punters, Hinged has been a remarkably consistent performer for connections.
She nabbed her eleventh minor placing when rattling home for third in the Angst Stakes (1600m) last start after getting back from a wide draw, and missing out in a desperately close photo finish to stablemate Buckaroo three starts ago.
It is that effort that has trainer Chris Waller optimistic Hinged can finally land a knockout blow in the Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m), given Buckaroo has subsequently been successful at Group 1 level and finished runner-up in the Caulfield Cup.
“She has got the best form. She has got Buckaroo form,” Waller said.
“It was a dead-set photo and Buckaroo has gone down and won an Underwood, second in a Turnbull (Stakes), second in a Caulfield Cup and he’s about to, I hope, go well in a Melbourne Cup.”
Waller felt a wide draw cost Hinged in the Angst and from barrier five, he expects her to get a more economical run.
Medatsu will chase his first stakes success in the Group 3 race, earning the opportunity after winning three of his five campaign starts, the latest when rounding up a benchmark 88 field over Saturday’s course and distance.
He will need to rise to another level again at Rosehill, where his rivals also include Q22 winner Fawkner Park ($9.50) and former European Relentless Voyager ($6), who has been the subject of market support for his Australian debut.
“Model of consistency this preparation,” Waller said of Medatsu.
“Let’s hope he can just lift a little bit.”
Th champion trainer will also be represented by Joliestar ($5) and Chrysaor ($126) in the Golden Eagle (1500m) and is bullish the former can make amends for her luckless seventh in The Everest (1200m).
“She just didn’t get luck,” Waller said.
“The race didn’t pan out how we thought, she got bottled up in a tricky spot and flashed late.
“I won’t be worrying about it if she wins on Saturday.”