Espionage, Saturday 24th February, Rosehill, Race 4:
I’m excited about all of our two-year-olds on Saturday, in both states. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of them win but I’ve gone with Espionage because he’s proven in Stakes grade and is hard to knock being one win for one start. He did it very tough that day so I think there was a lot of merit to the win, though I could say the same for his stablemate who he faces once again on Saturday, hence he only just nudges him out as my pick of the week. While trials and trackwork give you a guide, it’s extremely difficult to tell how these young horses have developed and will shape up against the big guns over the autumn but there’s some really strong form coming out of the Breeders’ Plate. I’m hopeful that he jumps away cleanly, the way he did in his most recent trial, because there’s no margin for error at this time of year. If he does that, I expect his opponents to have a good fight on their hands.