Attrition delivers Jamie Mott's first Sydney win in Hill Stakes

Attrition edged Lindermann in the A$2 million Hill Stakes at Rosehill on October 10, giving Jamie Mott his first victory in Sydney. Formal Display and Gerringong also won major races on the card, with their trainers looking ahead to further spring targets.

Mott had ridden only 11 times in Sydney across almost 23 years before Saturday. He stayed with Attrition after finishing third on the horse at long odds in the Underwood Stakes, his first ride on the seven-year-old.

Nash Rawiller set the pace aboard Lindermann in the 1900-metre race, but Mott brought Attrition through to win narrowly. Eliyass finished third. Attrition had won the Hill Stakes in 2024 before finishing behind Lindermann last year.

The victory was Attrition's fifth from 33 starts and took his career prizemoney beyond A$4.37 million. Freedman said the race had been a specific target and that he had been confident about the horse's preparation and travel. He identified the Cox Plate as a likely next start.

Mott said he would welcome more opportunities to ride in Sydney. He believed Attrition had progressed since the Underwood and could beat Lindermann even if the rival improved on his last-place finish at Caulfield.

In the A$1.5 million Group 3 Alan Brown Stakes over 1400 metres, Kerrin McEvoy sent Formal Display forward from barrier 12 and maintained the lead to beat Estadio Mestalla and Linebacker. The horse started at odds of A$26.

The result gave Annabel and Rob Archibald their first Saturday metropolitan New South Wales winner of the season, after Alabama Fox won at Kensington on Wednesday. Annabel said Formal Display had been aimed at the A$3 million Big Dance over 1600 metres at Randwick on November 3 since qualifying through April's Tamworth Cup.

She said the wide draw had raised concerns about positioning, but McEvoy's decision to keep pressing forward worked. The intention had been to race prominently, and she was pleased he secured a position from which he could control the race.

Chris and Corey Munce are hoping Gerringong receives a place in the A$2 million Invitation after her Group 3 Nivison win over 1200 metres. Tyler Schiller rode the mare from gate 12 and she overcame a wide run to narrowly defeat Arabian Rose.

It was the five-year-old's first win since December 2024 and her fourth start for the Munces after moving from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. She raced in John Singleton's colours.

Gerringong is named after the home town of former Parramatta Eels player Mick Cronin, who is a part-owner alongside fellow former rugby league players Bob O'Reilly, Phil Sigsworth and Peter Wynne.