Although champion trainer Ciaron Maher’s primary focus is on his four Cox Plate contenders at Flemington, he will also be closely monitoring Sydney, where his promising colt Scarole is a leading hope in the Spring Champion Stakes.
The Maher stable has been in exceptional recent form, securing five black-type victories this past week. This includes a significant Group 1 double last Saturday, with Tempted winning The Everest (1200m) and Saintly Dancer taking out the Thousand Guineas (1600m).
Adding to the stable’s success, Maher also achieved the Geelong Cup (2400m) and Geelong Classic (2200m) quinella midweek with Point Of Law and Murshidi. His Sydney foreman, Johann Gerard-Dubord, is optimistic about Scarole’s prospects of adding another feature race win to their tally at Randwick.
Scarole, who debuted in July, has made rapid progress through the grades. He broke his maiden status three starts ago, followed by two consecutive Group placings in the Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield and the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill.
Nash Rawiller rode the colt for the first time in the latter event, and Gerard-Dubord believes that experience will be a key factor in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
Scarole, usually an on-pace runner, had a slow start in the Gloaming Stakes and settled worse than midfield. He finished strongly, however, narrowly missing behind Proxima Dea and Wonka, both of whom will be among his rivals.
“He’s got a bit of a touchy mouth, so you just have to go with him,” Gerard-Dubord commented. “Nash had to go to Plan B last start, but he settled well and actually ran really well, so that gave us some options as to how we ride him. Nash has had a sit on him and knows him now, which I think will be a big thing.”
The Gloaming Stakes saw the first five horses separated by only half a length, and while Proxima Dea showed great determination to win, Gerard-Dubord suggests the difference between them is marginal.
“Run the race a few times, and you probably get a few different results,” he said. “It’s an extra 200 metres and whoever stays will have a big advantage.”
Fellow three-year-old Ciaron’s Star will represent the yard in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1100m). She is resuming after a commendable second place behind the fast Blue Door in the Heritage Stakes (1100m) last month.
Ciaron’s Star has been maintained in good condition since, including a barrier trial win. Although the filly has taken time to reach her best this preparation, Gerard-Dubord is confident she is perfectly prepared for Saturday.
“She was very wintery for a while, and we pushed her back a couple of weeks before we got her started,” he explained. “The last ten days before her first-up run she really started to come on. Blue Door was a bit too fast for her, but she was good late. We feel she has come on quite a bit since that first-up run. She couldn’t look better and she’s got that run under her belt now.”
Jason Collett is slated to ride Ciaron’s Star from barrier three.
Betting markets for the Spring Champion Stakes are now open at leading sports betting platforms.