Chris Waller is gearing up to present five runners for the $1 million Golden Rose Stakes. While early betting indicates St Gotthard is his leading chance, the champion trainer states that there is very little to separate his five contenders.
St Gotthard, a full sibling to Switzerland, suffered his first career defeat when finishing a close second to Warwoven in the Run To The Rose (1200m) last start. This race is traditionally the key lead-up event for Saturday’s feature race.
He will be accompanied by stablemates Tron Bolt, Central Europe, Stormy Marco, and Campione D’Italia in the Golden Rose (1400m). Waller believes all have legitimate claims, irrespective of the upcoming barrier draw.
“It’s such a fair track, Rosehill, and over the 1400, there’s four hundred metres to the first bend,” Waller noted. “We’ve had some good success from bad draws. Going back to Zoustar, I think he drew the outside and (jockey) Jimmy Cassidy was even more confident. He said, ‘nothing will get in his way’. It’s not something you can worry about.”
“I could make a case for all of them, to tell you the truth,” he added.
Guest House, the victor of the San Domenico Stakes, is the pre-post favourite at $2.80 to become just the second horse to achieve the Golden Slipper-Golden Rose double, following in the footsteps of Forensics in 2007-08.
St Gotthard is currently second in the betting pecking order at $4.50, with Warwoven at $6 and Tron Bolt at $7.
Champagne Stakes winner Fireball will not be participating, as Waller has confirmed the colt has been spelled after not fully recovering from a virus.
A virus was also the cause of Sing Your Song’s race-morning scratching from the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, ending her prospects of running in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) next month.
However, Waller is still hopeful of achieving some success this spring with Sing Your Song, intending to reroute her towards the Reginald Allen Quality (1400m) on Everest day, with a potential trip to Melbourne to follow.
“That was a bit tough to take (on Saturday) morning, but that’s what happens, isn’t it?” Waller stated.
Waller is still anticipated to have a strong contender in the Flight Stakes (1600m) via former Perth filly Striking Alibi, who suffered a luckless second place behind Bangkok Hottie in the Tea Rose.
