Golden Rose Day preview

Sydney will have their first Group l of the new racing season this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens with the running of the $1 Million De Bortoli Golden Rose (1400m).

The race has been injected with great interest in recent years thanks to prize money increases and the elevation to Group 1 status, and is now regarded as a prominent stallion-making race, with Denman and Zoustar as great examples in recent years.

The 2014 edition of the race shapes up to be one of the best in it’s short history, with star filly Bring Me The Maid at the top of the betting at around the $4 mark, and has been well backed thanks to outstanding trackwork and a brilliant first up win in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 23. She’s drawn beautifully in six, and has had the extra week to recover from her run, unlike others who ran in the Run To The Rose (1200m) and the Myng Dynasty (1400m).

The forgotten horse who has to be seriously considered is Sarajevo. He has been very good without much luck in two runs back from a spell. First up he had absolutely no luck in the Rosebud behind Scissor Kick, then he went to the Run To The Rose and didn’t handle the bog surface at all but still found a way to hit the line with purpose for fourth to Hallowed Crown.

He is definitely looking for 1400m and most importantly, a firm surface, and if the forecast is correct, he’ll get a dead track at worst, and if that is the case, based on his trial prior to resuming, he’ll take an absolute power of beating.

Hallowed Crown was equal favourite with Bring Me The Maid, but a wide barrier (14) and the fine weather has forced his price to drift out with every update. Take nothing away from his sizzling first up triumph in the Run To The Rose, but he was out of trouble in the best ground and has the tag as just a wet tracker.

Big ask from the draw to win here, but Bowman takes over and he does have a lethal turn of foot when saved for the straight.

Keep an eye on the Team Snowden runner, Shooting To Win. He created a big impression on debut at Kembla before winning again at Canterbury. He was tipped out for a short break and resumed in the Up And Coming, where he never looked comfortable in the slush, and that was the same last week when second to Panzer Division in the Myng Dynasty.

But what I like about him is the way he physically looks. He has a real look about him when he steps out on to the track, and that improved run last week gives him a chance here at a good price, especially with the sunny conditions.

And certainly don’t rule out Almalad. His win in the J J Atkins during the Winter was unbelievable given he pulled so hard in the run and had every right to weaken, but he fought on so doggedly, a bit in the same style of Pierro. There are similarities between the two for sure, and while Almalad is nowhere in that class, this could be the springboard to reach that level. Getting back to a firmer track is a big advantage.

Selections
Sticking with Sarajevo (11) to beat the filly Bring Me The Maid (13) and Shooting To Win (10).

Other important races on the program this Saturday include the Theo Marks Stakes (1400m). Kirramosa has been scratched at the past two Saturday meetings due to wet tracks, but the forecast for sunshine means she’ll run here, and will have to given she hasn’t raced since the Missile when an excellent sixth to Sweet Idea, who has since been Group l placed.

Does that mean she may just need one more run before we see the best of her? Perhaps, but that first up run was too good after such a long layoff to dismiss completely.

Cluster resumed from a short let up with a fast finishing second to Weinholt over 1200m here a fortnight back, and the only that beat Cluster home was the rail hugging ride from Linda Meech on the eventual winner. He has always promised to perform at a high level and beyond, so it’ll be very interesting to see how he performs here moving forward into the Spring.

Trainer Chris Waller wanted to scratch Bull Point from the Show County first up due to the heavy, but the stewards wouldn’t allow it. The horse nonetheless ran a ripper, closing from the back to run third to Terravista, beaten just over two lengths. The firmer track is a massive advantage, and it was at this meeting 12 months in the Golden Rose that he produced one of the runs of the entire Spring when coming from last to run third to Dissident. Big watch.

Zephyron is first up here for Team Hawkes and is also accepted to run in Flemington. With the firmer conditions and a better draw, I suspect he will run here, and he did look very sharp in a recent trial win against some quality animals, including stablemate Toydini. Big watch fresh.

Selections
Kirramosa (4) for me, ahead of Cluster (8) and Bull Point (5).

An important lead up to the Newcastle Cup (2300m) and the Metropolitan (2400m) is the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m), and on form, the race can be narrowed down to three genuine winning chances. The best of those appears to be He’s Your Man. If you backed him last time out in the Premier’s Cup, you had to forgive him for his loss.

It was his first run for a month, he was ridden upside down due to circumstances and I don’t think he was 100per cent comfortable in the going. On top of the ground now, fitter, meets Greatwood much better at the weights and will be ridden with cover this time, so he looks very hard to beat.

If you have backed La Amistad for any of the big races, you would have had a beaming smile after her outstanding return to racing in the Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury, running third to Mr Chard in a thrilling finish.

With Team Hawkes, when they set a good horse for good races over the longer distances, they generally give them time in the prep to get the runs under the belt and surge at the right time. This horse had a tummy on her prior to the Rowley, so to finish as close she did – she’s going to go close in whatever she contests.

Greatwood is on the Metropolitan path and he proved that he’ll be a leading contender for the race with a dominant on speed win in the Premiers Cup, comfortably beating home the top tip. He again maps very well and should control the race, and despite creeping up in the weights, he’ll prove a tough nut to crack.

Celtic Prince was just so so first up behind Entirely Platinum, then he was much better in the Premier’s Cup when sixth to Greatwood. He is also heading towards the Metropolitan and appears to have a stack of upside left. He’ll love a return to dry conditions and stepping up to 2000m.

Selections
I will be surprised if the winner comes outside these three. He’s Your Man (4) on top for me, to beat La Amistad (6) and Greatwood (5).

The mares will get their chance in the limelight when they contest the Sheraco Stakes (1200m), and it really looks at the mercy of star mare Catkins. She performed so well during the Autumn, winning a couple of Group races, but that Group l just didn’t want to go to her, running third in the Coolmore and fourth in the Tatt’s Tiara. She flies fresh, has trialled very nicely, great record on her home track and is only against her own sex. Surely she just wins.

Nowra mare Belle De Coeur was fantastic during the Winter in Brisbane, continually stepping up to the place and running a very honest race for trainer Luke Price. She ran behind the likes of Cosmic Endeavour and Srikandi, so the form does read very well and gets in pretty well at the weights. Look for a bold run from her fresh.

Big watch on the return to racing of the Team Cummings mare Shamalia. She was very good in her first prep during the Summer/Autumn, winning three, including a Listed race, before running behind quality gallopers such as Cosmic Endeavour and Sidestep.

Trackwork leading up to this has been very good from all reports, as has her trials. If there is a mare to step up to the next level this carnival, Shamalia could very well be that mare.

Selections
Pretty confident Catkins (1) will get the job done. Her on top to beat Belle De Coeur (7) and Shamalia (6).