The Everest or Cox Plate? Storm Boy approaches fork in the road ahead of 2024 Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens

It’s boom or bust time for a crack field of three-year-olds including racing’s headline act Storm Boy at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Storm Boy, ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, wins the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill on August 31. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

It’s boom or bust time for a crack field of three-year-olds including racing’s headline act Storm Boy at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Storm Boy is hot favourite to win the Group 2 $300,000 Run To The Rose (1200m) but is opposed to some of the most promising young sprinters in training.

There are eight superbly-bred colts in the nine-horse field with each having potential multimillion price tags that could be inflated by results this spring carnival.

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Storm Boy is already the most expensive colt in the race after Coolmore purchased him earlier this year for an undisclosed sum that is believed to be just over $20 million with more payments factored into the deal if he can win Group 1 races.

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are using the Run To The Rose to ready Storm Boy for his immediate spring target, the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 28.

But what path takes after the Golden Rose is still unclear with the $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 19 or the $5 million Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 26 both possible goals.

“The Golden Rose is the fork in the road,’’ Bott said.

“We have literally had no conversation with the owners beyond the Golden Rose. It’s one race at a time, we are playing what is in front of us on each occasion.

“But it does say a lot about Storm Boy that you can mention The Everest and Cox Plate in the same sentence.’’

Super colt STORM BOY (x Justify) was full of running in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill. #bigboy#Australia
Watch Live Aussie Racing: https://t.co/bSfbeXPN0Fpic.twitter.com/1BKRbWUO0y

— Sky Racing World (@SkyRacingWorld) August 31, 2024

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Storm Boy, a son of American sire sensation Justify, made a brilliant return to racing with his runaway win in the San Domenico Stakes two weeks ago and he has been installed as the $2.10 TAB Fixed Odds favourite to win the Run To The Rose ahead of the only gelding in the field, The Everest hopeful Bustling at $5.

“From what we have seen from him at home (trackwork) we are confident he has retained the speed he showed at his first-up win. He has been nice and sharp in his work,’’ Bott continued.

“There are some new horses coming into the picture with different form-lines and we will get a good look at some very good three-year-olds in the Run To The Rose.

“The picture will become a lot clearer after Saturday but we are happy with the fact he has had a run already and performed in the manner which he did.’’

Storm Boy, winner of five of his seven starts, is among only two Run To The Rose starters to have raced this season – the other is the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Tropicus who ran on strongly for third in the San Domenico Stakes.

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Bott explained Storm Boy was a powerfully-built colt that thrived on racing.

“The reason he was at the San Domenico was because the more races we can give him the better-placed he is going to be,’’ Bott said.

“He’s such a big, strong colt and will take a couple of runs to be at his peak. There is only so much you can do at home, he will keep improving racing.’’

The Waterhouse-Bott stable also has Anode in the Run To The Rose with the stable expecting a competitive first-up run.

“Anode’s trials have been good although he may find them a bit sharp at 1200m,’’ Bott said. “Hopefully, he will run well and set up a good spring campaign.’’

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Mayfair, who was brave chasing home stablemate Storm Boy last start, was a dual acceptor for the Rosehill meeting but has been scratched from the Run To The Rose to contest the Group 3 $250,000 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

“I thought Mayfair was excellent behind Storm Boy,’’ Bott said. “He has a bit of weight (59kg) but other than that he’s in good shape.’’

Bases Loaded and New Endeavour also give Tulloch Lodge a strong presence in the Group 2 $300,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).

Bott said Bases Loaded, a brilliant barrier trial winner at Randwick two weeks ago, will definitely line up at Rosehill despite drawing the outside barrier in the 13-horse field.

“We are keen to run Bases Loaded on Saturday, he’s really coming up really well,’’ Bott said.

“New Endeavour showed some good form over further in Brisbane (second in the Group 1 Doomben Cup) and although we are not expecting a lot from him early, he is a classy horse.

“He will be particularly effective when he gets out in distance and might be a good chance for races like the Hill Stakes, Craven Plate and the Five Diamonds.’’

Originally published as The Everest or Cox Plate? Storm Boy approaches fork in the road ahead of 2024 Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens