History was made at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as Golden Slipper hero Guest House not only defied a 35-year hoodoo but also smashed a track record that had stood for nearly two decades.
In a spectacular comeback performance, Guest House, with jockey Zac Lloyd in the saddle, bravely forced their way through a needle-thin gap along the inside rail in the straight before racing clear to win the Group 3 $250,000 San Domenico Stakes over 1100 metres.
The imposing colt, conservatively valued at a staggering $30 million, is now a leading contender for an unprecedented Group 1 sprint treble, targeting the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m), the $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m), and the $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
If any three-year-old is capable of achieving such a monumental feat, it is Guest House, a horse possessing both immense physical presence and exceptional talent.
Trainer Mick Price expressed his profound admiration for both Guest House and his gifted young jockey, Zac Lloyd.
“Amazing win by a very good horse,” Price said. “You might even think he has improved from his (Golden) Slipper to come out here over 1100m and do what he did.
“He had to race so genuine as Blue Door was holding the fence and Zac just owns these races, he comes out and writes his own story.
“I thought as long as the horse is running on I would be happy as the race did set up well for the favourite (Blue Door).
“I didn’t give Zac any instructions. I knew what I wanted and I asked him what he thought.
“He said one of two things will happen. If he bounces out I will go with him but if he takes 50-60m to get going I will ride a race.
“If I hear the right thing I don’t interfere – and I heard the right thing.”
Guest House, sent off at $7, settled behind the leader Blue Door ($1.95 favourite) on the inside rail heading into the straight. Lloyd then asked his colt to barge through the tightest of gaps inside the pacesetting filly.
Despite the extremely limited space and the buckling of the inside rail, Guest House displayed remarkable courage to force his way through and then surge away to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Blue Door held on gamely for second, with Music Time ($12), a placegetter in the Golden Slipper, a further length behind in third.
The outstanding Guest House, a son of former crack sprinter Home Affairs, has now amassed three wins and two placings from his five career starts, rewriting racing history in the process.
Guest House became the first horse since Tierce in 1991 to accomplish the Golden Slipper-San Domenico Stakes double.
His winning time of 1 minute 02.41 seconds for the 1100m at Rosehill obliterated the previous track record of 1 minute 02.51 seconds, which had been held by Westicaro since 2007.
Furthermore, Guest House is the first Golden Slipper-winning colt or gelding to win as an older horse since Pierro in 2012.
TAB Fixed Odds reacted by firming Guest House into $3 favouritism for the Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 26, and promoting him to the third line of betting for The Everest at $13.
Tom Magnier, a part-owner of Guest House and a key figure at Coolmore Stud, stated that the colt is a prime candidate for their Everest slot.
“I came here today under the impression the 1100m would be a bit too short for him but he blew those expectations out of the water,” Magnier said. “This wasn’t his end goal but to come here and win so well and break a track record, it is very exciting.”
Star young jockey Zac Lloyd, who also rode a Rosehill treble including wins on progressive stayer Aethelwulf and Epsom Handicap hopeful Althoff, commented on Guest House’s readiness to take the inside run.
“I knew at the 400m, the way he was coping with that speed, he was just ready to go,” Lloyd said. “And I needed a run, but I knew I had a very good horse underneath me so I wasn’t rushing.
“Tommy (Berry on Blue Door) gave him just enough room, and those horses, you give them a message, they’re straight in there.
“It was fantastic, and he’s actually done that quite comfortably, a perfect first-time run for him.
“He’s a big, robust colt and he’s only going to get better with every run. For him to do that at 1100m, it’s very exciting.”
Price added that Lloyd was on the right horse to execute the tight inside run.
“If you have the right motor and right horse it is a lot easier than if you are not on the bridle – gee, he’s a good colt,” Price said. “I want him in the zone for the three races that makes a colt’s (stud) career.
“The Golden Rose, The Everest and the Coolmore – they are three races I want him to be in the zone.
“I thought 1100m was a bit short for him first-up, I did feel, but that is just how good he is.
“Someone said ‘could you win the Caulfield Guineas with this’ and that could happen but you can’t run him in everything.
“He’s just a gun colt and very happy that Coolmore have backed him – he’s just fantastic.”
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