Sydney racegoers will get their first look at exciting sprinter Uncommon James when the Oakleigh Plate winner makes his local debut in the Group 1 Galaxy at Rosehill.
Trained in Queensland by Steve O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted, the four-year-old emerged on the national stage early last spring with an impressive win in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
He has gone to another level again this preparation, resuming with a second to Lofty Strike in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) before reversing that result in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) last start.
Hoysted feels those two runs will have the gelding spot-on for Saturday’s Rosehill assignment.
“He was only second-up from six months (off), so that run in the Oakleigh Plate has brought him to peak fitness now,” Hoysted said.
“He’s right where we need him to be.”
Damian Lane partnered Uncommon James in two of his three Melbourne runs but missed the winning mount in the Oakleigh Plate due to overseas commitments.
He reunites with the four-year-old on Saturday when the horse will bid to take his record to seven wins from nine starts.
Given Uncommon James is only lightly raced, Hoysted says they are still learning about him but they expect him to continue to improve into his campaign and possibly stretch to 1400m in time.
“I think 1200 and even 14 won’t matter,” he said.
“He’s only had three runs in a prep and then we’ve had to pull up, so I think the deeper we get in, the more he is going to relax in his races.
“There are plenty of options for a horse like him on the back of that, so we’ll get through the Galaxy and work out where we go.”
Uncommon James has been crunched from $6 into $3.90 favouritism for the Galaxy and is a clear top pick ahead of Remarque ($7), with evergreen sprinter Eduardo and Victorian mare Asfoora sharing the third line of betting at $7.50 apiece.