2020 The Roses Nominations: Celestial Falls Leads Newnham’s Trio

June 9, 2020

2020 The Roses Nominations: Celestial Falls Leads Newnham’s Trio

Sydney trainer Mark Newnham plans to accept for three fillies in The Roses 2020 in Brisbane this weekend with the up-and-coming Celestial Falls the best fancied from the stable.

Mark Newnham; Joshua Parr. Photo: Steve Hart.

Trainer Mark Newnham (pictured with jockey Josh Parr) is set to saddle-up three fillies in the 2020 The Roses in Brisbane on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Group 2 $175,000 The Roses (1800m) is traditionally run on Doomben 10,000 Day in May over 2000m for the season’s Queensland Oaks hopefuls.

With COVID-19 forcing a major shake-up to the 2020 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival however, the only two Group 1 features of the festival were last weekend’s Stradbroke Handicap and J.J. Atkins.

Without the Queensland Oaks on the program, The Roses was moved from Doomben to Eagle Farm and offers a reduced $175,000 in prize money.

It becomes the likely Grand Final then for the staying fillies in the race including Newnham’s trio: Celestial Falls, Money Magic and Soul Purpose.

Well-bred Hinchinbrook filly Celestial Falls is the best fancied of the three currently occupying the second line of all-in The Roses betting at $4 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

She chases her first win since saluting over the 1800m distance at Flemington last September ahead of her close third at Caulfield next start in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m).

Celestial Falls presents fit third-up this weekend having run second in her two lead-up runs, the latest when a half-length off Saturday’s The Roses favourite Vanna Girl in the Listed Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m) at Doomben.

At the roomier Eagle Farm track getting up over 1800m, Celestial Falls looks a genuine chance to turn the tables on her last start conqueror.

Newham said The Roses had always been on the winter agenda for Celestial Falls and stablemate Money Magic, the latter also a nicely-bred three-year-old being a daughter of former champion So You Think.

“For Celestial Falls and Money Magic it has certainly been on their radar for quite a while,” he told AAP this week.

“Money Magic had a summer campaign and then I put her away with this carnival in mind.

“But this is the grand final now.”

Money Magic is currently a $12 shot pre-acceptances in The Roses betting as she steps up to Black-Type company for the first time on the back of a second to Lando Bay over the 1800m at Randwick just last Saturday.

“Money Magic has never run poorly and the form around her has always been strong,” Newnham said.

“She’s rapidly improving and she pulled up well after Saturday.”

Soul Purpose is also at $12 to win The Roses in an upset for Newnham, the in-form Pierro filly second to the same runner Lando Bay in a Class 1 at Newcastle over 1895m from May 26.

“Soul Purpose is trying to get a bit of Black-Type,” the trainer said.

“She’s an honest staying filly and her form was well franked by Lando Bay, who she finished a close second to last start.”

Newnham removes the blinkers from Celestial Falls in The Roses and has her pegged as the one to beat in the Group 2.

“Celestial Falls has stayed up there [in Brisbane] with Chris Munce and she has done well,” he said.

“Her two runs back have been very good and you’d think with natural improvement she would be hard to beat on Saturday.”

Vanna Girl meanwhile is the firm and deserving $2.80 favourite to win The Roses for last weekend’s Stradbroke Handicap winning trainers Toby & Trent Edmonds.

The father-son training team won Queensland’s premier race in an upset with the 2019 runner-up Tyzone and are after more success on Saturday with Vanna Girl in The Roses.

She has won five of her past six starts including three straight ahead of Saturday’s test, the Husson filly also a dual Black-Type winner at Doomben this campaign.

Two back she took out the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1615m) before beating home Celestial Falls in the Pam O’Neill on May 30 and the only query will be how she goes over further than a mile this weekend in the rematch.

The other standout The Roses nominee looking at the markets is the $5.50 third elect Sky Horse for the dynamic Victorian training duo of Ciaron Maher & David Eustace.

The Kiwi-bred Sky Horse is by Tavistock and comes off an eye-catching fourth from a wide barrier (13 of 14) at the Eagle Farm track on May 23 behind Supergiant in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1800m).

The Gunsynd form was franked last weekend when the runner-up Ballistic Boy beat home the winner Supergiant in a reverse of the quinella in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2200m).

The Roses 2020 final acceptances and barriers will be announced on Wednesday, with all-in betting currently available here thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 The Roses Nominations

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 7×232331 ADELASE F 3 Barry Baldwin 61
2 418×516173 AL JOOD F 3 Chris Munce 73
3 x196x25775 CALIFORNIA SALTO F 3 Peter & Paul Snowden 70
4 521x213x22 CELESTIAL FALLS F 3 Mark Newnham 80
5 511538×662 CELLARMAID F 3 Kelly Schweida 69
6 4×41132220 DEE DAY DIVA F 3 Robert Heathcote 70
7 2613×85123 FLORENT F 3 Tony Noonan
8 x816465x43 HALLOWED GIRL F 3 Chris Anderson 58
9 2×68722404 MISS CAVALLO F 3 Michael Nolan 65
10 1×05399 MISS PENFOLD F 3 Kelly Schweida 64
11 122×132 MONEY MAGIC F 3 Mark Newnham
12 8×75110245 SEGRILL F 3 Clarry Conners
13 5×286114 SHUHOOD F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 71
14 24114 SKY HORSE (NZ) F 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 70
15 642312 SOUL PURPOSE F 3 Mark Newnham
16 214112111 VANNA GIRL F 3 Toby & Trent Edmonds
17 x1132521x5 VIOLET F 3 Michael Nolan 72

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 SA Derby Winner Coco Sun ...

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikel...

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Connections of the high-flying Kintyre are unlikely to press onto the...

Victory Stakes Winner Antino R...

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism

Antino finally lived up to the hype of trainer Tony Gollan who had been...

2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Re...

2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Results: Climbing Star Stuns in Local Upset

It was a fantastic local result for trainer Phillip Stokes and young hoop...

Vibrant Sun Shines in 2024 Aus...

Vibrant Sun Shines in 2024 Australasian Oaks Results

Vibrant Sun just held on in a brave effort showing true grit to salute in the...

Race Results

2024 SA Derby Winner Coco Sun Aims at Queensland Oaks

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism

2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Results: Climbing Star Stuns in Local Upset

Vibrant Sun Shines in 2024 Australasian Oaks Results

Race Previews

2024 South Australian Derby Field & Betting Update: Coco Sun Set to Shine

Fawkner Park Heads Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2024 Field & Odds

2024 Queensland Guineas Field & Betting Update on Derby Lead-Up

Uncommon James Heads 2024 Victory Stakes Field & Betting

Warrnambool Cup 2024 Field & Betting Update: Little Mix Favourite

Fields & Form

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism

2024 South Australian Derby Field & Betting Update: Coco Sun Set to Shine

Fawkner Park Heads Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2024 Field & Odds

2024 Queensland Guineas Field & Betting Update on Derby Lead-Up