Daggers set for Golden Rose mission after staying unbeaten at The Valley

Exciting three-year-old Daggers remained unbeaten at The Valley to stamp himself as a Group 1 Golden Rose contender, a scenario which looked unlikely in his early days.

Daggers produced a strong performance to win at The Valley on Saturday. Picture: George Salpigtidis/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Exciting three-year-old Daggers could go from the sin bin to the dux of the spring three-year-old class after he remained unbeaten at The Valley.

Daggers easily scored on debut at Sandown on August 7 but stamped himself as a Group 1 Golden Rose contender with his on-pace win in the Brooks Running AU Plate (1200m).

However, co-trainer Natalie Young said two city wins and a look at the stallion-making Golden Rose in Sydney looked a long way away in Daggers’ early days.

Young said Daggers was such a handful that she and co-trainer Trent Busuttin decided the I Am Invincible colt needed remedial work with respected horse educator Julien Welsh.

“We’ve known this horse has always had the ability,” Young said.

“A lot of the credit goes to Julien Welsh, Lucy and (jockey) Carleen Hefel and the team there because he was just really rank and they got him going.

“He was there for a couple of months then we tipped him out and brought him back.”

"Daggers putting them to the sword!" 🗡️

Daggers is an impressive colt on the up! @busuttinpic.twitter.com/u2vkZ2H6ml

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 24, 2024

Daggers did everything right under jockey Luke Currie in the $150,000 contest, jumping quickly to share the lead with Godolphin colt Polyglot to the home turn.

Daggers maintained the pressure to the line while Polyglot faded from the home turn with Stolli Bolli getting past him late to snatch second spot.

Young said she and Busuttin would consult Currie and Daggers’ owners, which include Melbourne Cup-winning owners Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neil, before cementing their Sydney plan.

Daggers could head north for the $300,000 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on September 14, a fortnight before the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), worth $1 million at the same venue.

Daggers’ dam, Group 2 winner Omei Sword, finished second to Godolphin colt Astern in the 2016 Golden Rose.

Golden Rose winners normally perform well in the Caulfield Guineas but Young said the 1600m of the Guineas was a query.

“He’ll definitely get to 14 (00m) on what I’ve seen on the track but his pedigree suggests a mile might be a little bit of a question mark,” Young said.

TAB trimmed Daggers’ Golden Rose quote to $18 after his Valley success.

Originally published as Daggers set for Golden Rose mission after staying unbeaten at The Valley