ADELAIDE RIVER HELD BACK FOR ROSEHILL RETURN

SPRING aspirant Adelaide River’s resumption has been held back until Saturday’s Rosehill Gardens meeting.

The Irish import was to have begun a new preparation in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) at Royal Randwick last Saturday, but rain washed out the program.

Subsequently, the Australian Turf Club decided to transfer the Prelude to tomorrow’s Kensington meeting, but leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has decided not to kick him off in that race.

“I wasn’t keen to run him on the Kensington track (currently rated a Heavy 10), and instead he will run in the Spring Preview (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday,” he said this morning.

“It’s a shorter distance, but I have to get him back to the races.”

Adelaide River has 60kg in the Spring Preview, and also was nominated for the Group 2 wfa P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Returning as a gelding, Adelaide River has been impressive in winning both his 1200m trials at Wyong on June 16 and Gosford on July 23.

He is amongst Lees’ entries for the $5m Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and $6m Cox Plate (2040m) a week later.

Whilst Adelaide River is staying at home, stablemate Brudenell is likely to head south to run at Caulfield on Saturday.

Provided he draws well, the prolific winner (10 from 29 starts) will run in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m), where he has 59.5kg second topweight.

Brudenell also to have lined up at Randwick last Saturday in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m), and that race will now not be run this year.

Age Of Sail is also an acceptor for tomorrow’s Premier’s Cup Prelude on the Kensington track, but is an emergency and not certain of gaining a start anyway.

“I’ll wait until the morning and see if he makes the field and what the track rating is,” Lees said.

“I have also nominated him for a Benchmark 90 Handicap (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday, and the Wyong Cup Prelude (2000m) on Sunday.”

The Prelude winner secures a “free ticket” into the $250,000 Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) on September 5.

Rivellino will trial again at the now twice postponed Rosehill trials on Friday morning as he gets closer to beginning his three-year-old season.

At this stage, Lees is looking at the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 30 for last season’s $2m Inglis Millennium winner’s return.

Story John Curtis, August 12, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos