Godolphin and James Cummings are poised to claim a third straight Sydney Group 1 in Golden Rose
Having already snapped up the first two Sydney Spring Group 1s with Anamoe, Godolphin and James Cummings can continue their hot run in the Golden Rose at Rosehill.
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Godolphin trainer James Cummings can continue his dominance of Sydney Group 1 races this season with boom three-year-olds In Secret and Golden Mile in the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Cummings, who has won both Group 1 races so far this spring with stable superstar Anamoe in the Winx Stakes and George Main Stakes, says there is little between impressive last start winners In Secret and Golden Mile.
But TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have installed the filly In Secret as the $2.70 favourite with giant colt Golden Mile next in betting at $6 and although Cummings was relocated to split his stable duo, reading between the lines he might have a slight preference to the former.
“Her win in what is traditionally the main lead-up (Run To The Rose) to the Golden Rose was outstanding,” Cummings said of In Secret.
“She was able to absorb the pressure from just off the speed and sail past them by one-and-three-quarter lengths in pretty good order.
“She was just a little woolly in the coat and a little backward in her physique, but in her form, she’s rather faultless and third-up into a Golden Rose, it’s all falling into place for her.”
Golden Mile looked a potential topliner winning the Ming Dynasty Quality easily last start and Cummings said the Golden Rose provides the colt with a “great opportunity for him to have his crack at a Group 1.”
“He’s still got to keep rising to the occasion, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet,” Cummings said.
“But we like how he is improving and what we’ve seen from that horse between starts.”
THE BEST BARRIERS
The best barriers at Rosehill Gardens for the last 3 years (in order of wins)
1100m: 2,3,1,4
1300m: 2,3,5,8
1400m: 5,3,4,6
1500m: 5,1,4,2
2400m: 1,3,6,2
THE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Rebel’s Edge $13-$11, Smooth Esprit $23-$15, Syrian Star $5-$4.20
Race 2: Oakfield Duke $7-$7.50 after a bet of $3,000 at $7, Mayrose $13-$8.50-$7.50 including a bet of $500 at $7.50, Verbek $13-$9.50, Kote $7-$4.20-$4.40 with bets of $500 at $7, $600 at $6, $700 at $5, Too Good To Be Tru $41-$26-$31
Race 3: Hameron $5-$5.50-$4.60-$4.40, Quality Time $11-$7.50-$8 with bets of $200/$500 e/w at $11/$3.10
Race 4: No bets or movements of note
Race 5: Ita $14-$10-$7.50 with a $300 e/w bet at $9/$3, Finepoint $5.50-$4.40-$4.60 including a $200 bet at $5.50
Race 6: Best Of Bordeaux $2.70-$2.80-$2.30-$2.25 after bets of $1,500 at $2.80, $1,800 at $2.50, $500 at $2.50, $1,460 at $2.40, $1,400 at $2.40, $1,500 at $2.30, Opal Ridge $7-$5-$5.50-$5 with bets of $500/$1,500 e/w at $7/$2.30, $800 at $6.50, $500 at $5.50
Race 7: Startantes $9-$7, Expat $15-$11, Riduna $34-$19
Race 8: Jacquinot $7.50-$7-$7.50 with bets of $450 e/w at $7.50/$2.52, $250 e/w at $7/$2.40, Golden Mile $5-$6 with bets of $500 at $6, $1,000 at $5, She’s Extreme $11-$9.50 with bets of $500/$1,000 e/w at $10/$3, In Secret $3.20-$2.80-$2.70 after bets of $1,000 at $3, $500 at $3, $2,000 at $2.80, $1,400 at $2.70, $1,000 at $2.70
Race 9: Ellsberg $3.10-$3.20 with bets of $800 at $3.10, $1,000 at $3, Surf Dancer $9.50-$6 after bets of $400 at $8.50 twice, War Eternal $15-$16-$9-$8 with bets of $250 e/w at $16/$4.20, $250/$500 e/w at $16/$4.20, $480 at $11, $320 at $11, $200/$500 e/w at $11/$3.10
Race 10: Tristate $15-$12, Fire $4.60-$4 with a $400 bet at $4.60, Kipsbay $7-$5.50 including bets of $350 at $7, $465 at $6.50
EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 2,4,6,11
Race 4: 1,3,7
Race 5: 1,8,14,16
Race 6: 1,3,8
QUADDIE
Race 7: 1,3,8,17
Race 8: 3,7,14,16
Race 9: 2,11,13
Race 10: 4,7,8,13
PRICE CHECK
The money has come for Best Of Bordeaux (race 6) since the decision was made to start the crack colt in the Heritage Stakes. Best Of Bordeaux has firmed from $2.70-$2.80-$2.30-$2.25-$1.95 after bets of $1,500 at $2.80, $1,800 at $2.50, $500 at $2.50, $1,460 at $2.40, $1,400 at $2.40, $1,500 at $2.30. In the same race, there has also been money for Opal Ridge $7-$5-$5.50-$5 with bets of $500/$1,500 e/w at $7/$2.30, $800 at $6.50, $500 at $5.50.
TRIAL POINTERS
Spicy Hotpot (race 6) is a Mark Newnham-trained filly who showed considerable promise in her short, sharp opening campaign. A closing third on debut on the Kensington track, the daughter of Russian Revolution came from a long way back to win, going away at her second and final of the preparation. A $130,000 Magic Millions Yearling buy, Spicy Hotpot boasts two of the greatest horses of the 20th century as the sire of his second and third dams, namely Seattle Slew and Secretariat. Trials are indicative of a bold bid in Saturday’s Heritage Stakes.”
Dynasties (race 7) was bred by John Camilleri, best known as the breeder of Winx. Dynasties is herself a close relation to a globally recognised champion owing to the fact that her third dam, Jade Tiara, is the mother of the Taree-born, Hong Kong idol, Silent Witness. As for Dynasties, she raised her value as a broodmare by several rungs when she won the Listed Gold Bracelet on the Gold Coast beating Gypsy Goddess and others. This Peter and Paul Snowden-trained mare has trialled twice ahead of her Golden Pendant mission and impressed in both.
SECTIONAL STARS
Fireburn (race 8) is aiming to join Woodlands filly Forensics as the only horse to complete the Golden Slipper and Golden Rose double when she makes her third visit to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The second of Gary Portelli’s two Golden Slipper winners (so far), Fireburn finished fifth of nine behind Golden Rose rival In Secret in the Group 2 Run To The Rose on September 10 but lost no admirers in defeat given the way the daughter of Rebel Dane warmed up late and ran through the line with real purpose. Worth noting that Fireburn won her only start over 1400m, beating She’s Extreme in the ATC Sires Produce Stakes.
Rustic Steel (race 9) is on target to become the inaugural winner of the $2 million The Big Dance at Royal Randwick on November 1. That would be somewhat fitting too given that the Kris Lees-trained gelding was a debut winner at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day in 2020. In between, the son of Deep Field has won close to $650,000 in his 14 starts, 7 of those are win including the Scone Cup and The Coast. No one could have missed the gelding’s last 200m in the Theo Marks - his eighth of 11 on paper is wholly misleading.
BEST BET
Best Of Bordeaux (race 6) showed a return to form last start when he led early and held on for second behind boom filly In Secret in the Run To The Rose. Best Of Bordeaux’s owners flirted with running in the Golden Rose over 1400m but elected to stay at the sprint distances with the Heritage Stakes over 1100m This gifted sprinter looks too good for his rivals.
VALUE BET
Dalchini (race 7) goes into the Golden Pendant after a very good fourth in the Mona Lisa Stakes. She was back near last and forced very wide on the turn but hit the line well to finish just behind the placegetters. Dalchini is drawn to settle much closer, handles wet tracks and is way over the odds at $31.
THE JUDGMENT
R7: Golden Pendant (1400m)
Richard Haynes (Sky Sports Radio): “I’m not sure if I’m going off a run too early, but Queensland mare Startantes looks a great chance. The Tatt’s Tiara winner over this distance a couple of months ago, she gets a lovely midfield run here and I believe has the biggest finish of any of these girls. Jamaea simply doesn’t know how to run poorly, she gets the perfect run in the race and has to be in the finish. Nimalee is a quality mare and brings Zaaki form, she has to be respected. For mine, Espiona is the favourite on hype, but I’m happy for her to prove me wrong.”
Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “More than happy to play against Espiona until she shows me something better than her first-up effort. Startantes was excellent in the Sheraco and 1400m suits her much, much better. Slight edge off track no concern but just want some pressure early as she is a genuine backmarker.”
Grant Palmer (bookie): “Expat was slightly disappointing first up but I’m expecting a much-improved run here. She should be able to lead from barrier 2 and give them something to chase on her preferred heavy ground. She looks good value around the $12 mark and I’m happy to take on Espiona until she shows more.”
Michael Sullivan (bookie): “I’m happy to let the punters on Espiona here from the sticky draw. We’re sitting top of the market and expect her to continue to drift. Nimalee brings the best form line through her brave run in the Tramway and looks suited here if she can find a spot early. Outside the market we’ve seen some money early for Riduna ($34-$18) and My Whisper ($29-$21).”
Andrew Georgiou (TAB): “Nimalee looks a live chance but there’s several ways you can go and still the miss the winner. Expat is the each-way play.”
Verdict: Startantes
R8: Golden Rose (1400m)
Richard Haynes (Sky Sports Radio): “It’s obvious Godolphin head trainer James Cummings is going to have a big say. I’ve been a huge fan of In Secret ever since being on course for her Hawkesbury debut, but the meteoric rise of Golden Mile has me in his corner here. If Sam Clipperton can get him into a good position (midfield or closer with cover) and he can sprint like he did in the Ming Dynasty, look out. In Secret is a high-class filly and from her good barrier, only bad luck keeps her out of the finish. She’s Extreme could easily be the big improver, if she can settle closer in the run her quality takes her along way. Jacquinot might just be the real deal and it pays to be wary when the Price-Kent stable come to Sydney. The Portelli pair of Sejardan and Fireburn will be all the fitter in this race.”
Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “Golden Mile won me over in the Ming Dynasty as he showed improvement on his Ming Dynasty run but more importantly really flattened out nicely the last 100m in that race. Checked off the 1400m box and is coming into this on an upward spiral. Hoping Sejardan can get into it late.”
Grant Palmer (bookie): “Golden Mile was good first up behind Kibou before putting them away easily in the Ming Dynasty and he will only be further improved for that effort. He goes on top from Fireburn who will get her preferred heavy deck and will be flying late but interestingly no filly has ever won this race in the spring.”
Michael Sullivan (bookie): “In Secret is a deserved favourite we feel off the dominant win in the lead up. She’s been well supported all week from all in markets to the current quote of $2.70. She’s Extreme looks the danger for mine. Very good against the pattern first up and proven in expected conditions. She’s been steadily supported also $10-$9.”
Andrew Georgiou (TAB): “Money has been strong for In Secret all week. I loved the way Golden Mile won last start and She’s Extreme is value for mine.”
Verdict: Golden Mile
R9: Shannon Stakes (1500m)
Richard Haynes (Sky Sports Radio): “I was with Old Flame when he won first-up and see no reason to get off him here. This lightly raced import has a stack of upside and I think he’ll handle this rise in class with ease. War Eternal is fit and flying, and with no weight on his back comes right into calculations. Ellsberg is just a racehorse and can bounce back in a race like this. Mount Popa has looked sharp in recent trials and a forward showing wouldn’t surprise.”
Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “Pace all inside here with Ellsberg, Bigboyroy and Surf Dancer so they may just not go that quick. Tim Clark has the key to it on Ellsberg from barrier 1. He didn’t have much luck first up and although he hasn’t been as effective second-up in the past I think he has to be the one to beat here from the inside.”
Grant Palmer (bookie): “Ellsberg is not a noted second up performer but I think he has the class edge on this field. He can lead or sit behind Surf Dancer and he has a good record on heavy tracks. He goes on top from War Eternal from who should be ready to peak third up.”
Michael Sullivan (bookie): “The punters have circled two here in Surf Dancer ($8.50-$4.60) and Ellsberg ($3.50-$3) who have both been met with very strong support. They account for over 80% of the hold in our book. Personally, I don’t mind Atishu, who just ran out of room late 1st up and will be better suited out to 1500m.”
Andrew Georgiou (TAB): “I like War Eternal as my each-way play of the day. Hit the line well last week and is on the quick back up.”
Verdict: Ellsberg
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