DOYLE’S ROSEHILL TRIO TO KEEP NEW SEASON MOMENTUM GOING

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IT’S already been a flying start to the season for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle.

And he is taking three good chances to Rosehill Gardens tomorrow to keep the momentum going.

Doyle, with 12 wins, has prepared more than any other New South Wales provincial trainer so far in not quite the first two months of the 2026-27 racing season.

Five of those dozen victories have been in town, meaning he is also the leading provincial trainer to date in that area.

Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson says the Group 1 winning trainer (Private Harry in last year’s The Galaxy at Rosehill) has prepared two doubles in town as an important feature of his excellent beginning to the racing year.

“Nathan scored with Cool Waters and Heroic Deed at Warwick Farm on August 19, and Formal and Sylvanito at the last Rosehill meeting a fortnight ago,” Dyson said today.

“Hopefully we can make it another metropolitan double tomorrow.”

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Doyle’s Rosehill representatives are Better Late (Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1300m), Silvanito (Benchmark 88 Handicap, 1400m), and Mercy Me (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1100m).

James McDonald rides Better Late, Alysha Collett again partners Silvanito, and Regan Bayliss has the mount on Mercy Me.

Better Late was a $2.25 favorite this morning with TAB.com.au, Silvanito was at $17, and Mercy Me headed betting at $4.20.

“James rode stablemate Formal when he beat Better Late in similar grade over 1200m a fortnight ago,” Dyson said.

“Better Late was really good that day. He worked and kept going, only for Formal to get him at the end.

“J-Mac goes on tomorrow, and he should be very hard to beat.

“Silvanito is up in grade, but is in great form and has won two of his last four starts and been placed in the other two.

“He is tough and more often than not underestimated in his races.

“Mercy Me is a talented mare resuming in the Benchmark 78.

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“She has won three of her only seven starts, and has trialled really well twice (both times at Gosford) for her return.

“At her latest trial Mercy Me ran third to Skyhook (favorite for the Group 2 Shannon Stakes tomorrow) and Kris Lees’ smart three-year-old Under Focus (lining up in the $1m Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes) in a 1000m heat at Gosford on August 31.

“There are a lot of scratchings from this race, which will certainly help her chances.”

Meanwhile, Doyle’s Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner Churchill’s Choice has come through well her return fifth in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at last Friday’s Newcastle carnival.

“She ran really well, and obviously will take improvement from the race,” Dyson said.

“Nathan has the option of going next to the Group 3 Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on October 10, or Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a week later.

“The Alan Brown is run under Quality conditions, whereas the Angst is for her own sex at set weights plus penalties.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS