BLOOD’S RIGHT, SO ROSEHILL HERE WE COME

A perfect blood count has convinced Mark Minervini to back up two-year-old Gemologist and step him up in distance at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

And the Newcastle trainer has been able to secure the services of Sydney apprentices premiership front-runner Braith Nock for the youngster in the 2YO Handicap (1400m).

Gemologist closed off strongly over the last 200m once he got clear running when fifth to fellow Newcastle two-year-old Hidden Motive over 1100m at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

“I would have preferred going to 1200m, but there isn’t anything available for the next few weeks,” Minervini said today.

“Nonetheless, I think he will handle the 1400m because he his best work has been at the end of his races.

“I had his blood done yesterday, and it came back perfect today.”

Gemologist’s sire Graff began his career at Newcastle with Kris Lees and won the Clarendon Stakes when it was run at 1300m (now 1400m) in 2018 at Hawkesbury’s Saturday stand-alone metropolitan meeting.

The gelding was bred and is raced by Port Macquarie couple Steve and Lorraine Middledorp, and beat three rivals on debut on a heavy Muswellbrook track in the Star Kingdom Stakes (1000m) on May 2.

Gemologist was subsequently runner-up to Josephine at Gunnedah on May 25 before making his city debut last Saturday.

Tom Sherry rode the gelding at Randwick but is border-hopping to ride at Eagle Farm on Saturday, hence Nock’s booking.

The Scone apprentice has ridden 30 city winners so far this season, and holds a six-win advantage over Molly Bourke.

Meanwhile, Minervini has decided to wait a bit longer before chasing a hat-trick with recent acquisition Pratt.

The three-year-old, who led throughout over 1000m at Wyong last Sunday after scoring easily over 900m at Newcastle on May 26 at his first start for his new trainer, was to have run back at Wyong on June 24 in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m).

Instead, he will be kept for a Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap over the same distance at that track at a Saturday meeting on July 5.

“It was only a fortnight between his Maiden win at home and the Class 1 Handicap last weekend,” Minervini said.

“Pratt has pulled up well, but I feel it is best to wait for a few weeks before attempting to get the hat-trick with him.”

Stablemate Shall Be, who won a Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1000m) first-up at Wyong on April 17, will trial there on Monday before Minervini targets another race with him.

The Shalaa three-year-old is building a nice record, having won four of his eight starts to date.

. Wyong trainer Sara Ryan was the sole provincial winner on the Kensington track today.

She took the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m) with former UK and Hong Kong gelding Kyeema ($12).

Jockey Regan Bayliss took full advantage of clear running near the inside in the straight, and the five-year-old responded to comfortably defeat Superhero ($6) and Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price’s Victory Lane ($26).

Kyeema, a beautifully-bred son of Siyouni, was having only his fourth Australian start and lifted his trainer’s number of winners this season to 20 and her career tally to 57.

Story John Curtis, June 11, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos