English import on a mission to Space Rosehill rivals

There is nothing like race day pressure to sort out the wheat from the chaff, but English import Space Tracker is showing all the right signs at home to suggest he can feature in his Sydney debut.

The four-year-old tackles the Petaluma Handicap (1400m) on Saturday and while most European-bred gallopers migrating to Australia are stayers, his form indicates the distance is in his sweet spot.

His three wins have been between 1400-metres and a mile and with his only unplaced efforts in six starts coming on rain-affected tracks, he is poised to get conditions to suit at Rosehill.

Rob Archibald, racing manager for trainer Annabel Neasham, says Space Tracker has pleased them with how well he’s settled in and particularly impressed with his recent barrier trial win.

“This is our first preparation with him, but he’s had the two trials and we were really happy with that trial last week,” Archibald said.

“He’s going really well and we’ve got a lot of time for him.

“With that rating (benchmark 75), he’s up in the weights but Jett Stanley will take the three kilos off.

“It’s a bit of an unknown, until you go to the races you never quite know what you’ve got, but he’s certainly giving us good signs at home.”

Neasham has enjoyed tremendous success with imports, significantly multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki but also with the likes of Numerian, Top Ranked and recent Lord Mayor’s Cup winner Bois D’Argent.

Space Tracker has been well supported in pre-post markets and is into $5 after opening at $8 with betr.

He will carry 58.5kg after Stanley’s three-kilo claim and is one of eight Rosehill rides for the apprentice, who is shooting to parlay his success aboard another Neasham import, Naval College, at Randwick last weekend.