Congenial and Hursley line up on Saturday

Pearl Congenial and Hursley are back in action on Saturday for trainers Robert Smerdon and Chris Waller.

Qatar Bloodstock's Hursley returns to Rosehill Gardens for a handicap (15.40 local time, 04.40 UK time) over 1,500m (7.5 furlongs), having taken part in a trial there on Tuesday under rider Leigh Roche. The four-year-old son of Makfi acted well on the rain-softened track, but was caught a little flat-footed over a trip way short of his best his most recent race was over 2,000m at Caulfield in July when he won. Waller will be looking for future races over that trip, but says: ‚"He has got a big weight, but we need to get him started and then he will step up to 2,000m in his next start.‚"

Pearl Congenial bids to follow up a maiden win at Cranborne last month when running in a 1,000m handicap (13.35 local time, 02.35 in UK) at Ladbrokes Park. Apprentice jockey Mitch Aitken takes the ride, and claims a handy 3kg allowance on the Pearl Bloodstock-owned three-year-old, who has been well drawn in barrier one.

Australian representative Geoffrey Faber says: ‚"Mitch is a good kid and does a lot of work with the horses for Robert his father was the leading jockey here in the 1990s. He knows the filly well and she is a straightforward ride.‚"