ROSEHILL PREVIEW August 29, 2009 GOLDEN ROSE (1400M) Race 6, 3.50pm (Sydney time) The Golden Rose is Australia’s newest Group 1 race. It has been a meteoric rise for the race that was first run in 2003 – won by In Top Swing who went on to win the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas – as a next-season adjunct for Golden Slipper entries. Contestants no longer need have been Golden Slipper entrants and the Golden Rose holds up as the premier 3YO race in the Sydney spring carnival. This year’s race has attracted a bumper field, headed by the 2009 Golden Slipper and Magic Millions winner Phelan Ready. The gelding will be trying to join the filly Forensics (autumn 2008 because of equine influenza) as a Slipper winner to win the Rose. Phelan Ready will need to be at the top of his game to overcome a wide barrier and two in-form rivals, Denman and Trusting, both brilliant last-start winners. The Peter Snowden-trained Denman warmed up for this race with a commanding win in the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1300m, Rosehill), against his own age, two weeks ago, whereas Trusting and Phelan Ready took on the older horses at weight-for-age. While Phelan Ready was far from disgraced finishing third behind Mentality in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (WFA 1200m) at Rosehill, it was Trusting who has took the limelight with his outstanding finishing burst to win the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (WFA 1400m) at Randwick last Saturday. It could be that Trusting, who has had only three starts for young trainer Jason Coyle and owner Nathan
SPEED MAP Predicted positions on settling
Patinack Farm conglomerate, is a horse of a decade – a colt that is head and shoulders above his own age. If he wins the Golden Rose from barrier 11, then I will be the first to tick the “superstar” box next to his name. However, the speed map doesn’t lie and I find it difficult to go past the safe option of tipping Denman. This Lonhro colt has natural tactical speed, so from barrier four I expect him to dictate the terms of the race in front. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy is a master judge of pace. Both Phelan Ready and Trusting will go back from their wide draw, so they will need to run exceptional closing sectionals to run down Denman. I think Trusting is the danger. I was worried by Phelan Ready’s inability to settle in the Premiere Stakes, although he was first up from a long spell. The honest Shellscrape, who will be ridden from behind, and the Golden Slipper runner-up, the filly Headway, are also in the mix. The tips: Denman to lead and win from Trusting, Phelan Ready, Shellscrape, Headway and Viking Ruler.
TEMPO-GOOD The speed of this race should be genuine. I don’t see why jockey Kerrin McEvoy will walk this field to the turn and risk an early challenge McEvoy is a master tactician in front – he proved that riding against the best in England – so I expect him to run along at a good tempo and leave a strong kick for the finish.
AND ALSO The G1 Golden Rose is not the only class race on Saturday. In fact, the WFA Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield is classier, albeit rated G2 and worth one-fifth of Sydney’s 3YO headliner. It is a good horses’ race (Weekend Hussler, Miss Finland, El Segundo and Makybe Diva have won the past four); a Cox Plate field, without all runners fully wound up. There are eight G1 winners, three G2 winners and the odd one out, Baughurst, has three G2 placings and a G3 win. Collectively they have earned some $22m. There are Melbourne Cup winners (Efficient and Viewed), a Cox Plate winner (El Segundo), Derby winners (Efficient, Fiumicino and Zarita), a Caulfield Guineas winner (Whobegotyou) and big spring handicap winners (Valedictum and Orange County). But the one to back is Mic Mac, a G1 winner in the making – he doesn’t have Ollie (suspended) this time, but Nikolic is a handy sub; he does have the Greg Eurell polish that worked so well with Apache Cat and has rubbed off on to MM – he has won six of seven, including the G2 Hobartville over this distance, and his loss was at G1, a brave fifth when over the top in the Randwick Guineas (1600m). And first up (1200m at Flemington) he was super. Back MM at $2.50 or better. Save on Orange County ($7 or so), with Boss up this time after Williams had absolutely no luck in the straight in the Liston (1400m) two weeks back. And watch the others – the Memsie will reveal much for the G1s to come. Stephen Howell