GROUP ONE PREVIEW – THE GOLDEN ROSE

What an intriguing race due to the attempt by outstanding colt BROADSIDING to become the first horse to win this high class 3YO event first-up since his juvenile season.

Since its first running in 2003 every Golden Rose winner had raced at least once as a 3YO with nine of the last 12 winners using the Run To The Rose as their lead-up race.

That says plenty for the prospects of Broadsiding’s Godolphin stablemate TRAFFIC WARDEN and the trio of horses that finished close behind him in the Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill two weeks ago. TRAFFIC WARDEN is now bidding to be the sixth horse to win the Run To The Rose/Golden Rose double.

However Godolphin trainer James Cummings has put that historical challenge aside to focus on having BROADSIDING ready to extend his winning sequence after the colt won his last four starts as a 2YO. Those four wins – all over 1400m and 1600m – included the G1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick and G1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm.

Cummings says two impressive trials plus an exhibition gallop have this gun colt in the right place, taking confidence from his own Golden Rose training record of two wins and three minor placings over the last decade.

An affected surface certainly doesn’t harm BROADSIDING’s chances given his dominant soft and heavy track wins in the Fernhill Handicap, Champagne Stakes and QTC Sires Produce. If there is a concern – even with the masterful James McDonald as his rider – it could be his rails barrier draw as the fence is unlikely to be the place to be late in the day on a cut up surface.

The bottom line with BROADSIDING is how he rates off his Champagne Stakes and JJ Atkins wins as they are races that perennially lack substance.

Rest assured he stands as one of the highest rating JJ Atkins winners of the past 25 years while his overall figures place him not far behind recent Godolphin champion Anamoe’s ratings as an early 3YO.

A G1 winner as a 2YO, Anamoe won the Run To The Rose before finishing second in the Golden Rose. He then won the Caulfield Guineas as a spring 3YO before landing another seven G1 wins over the next 18 months.

Cummings also has Caulfield Guineas aspirations for BROADSIDING and he could rise above Anamoe on the ratings scale – at least temporarily – as a spring colt if he can win the Golden Rose as it would be his third G1 win since April.

Mapping this Golden Rose is an easy exercise with three on pace runners from the Waterhouse/Bott stable STORM BOY, ANODE and MAYFAIR sure to take it up from the start and set a genuine pace.

The quicker they go the better it will be for not only BROADSIDING and TRAFFIC WARDEN. LINEBACKER, the John O’Shea/Tom Charlton runner boasting a win over BROADSIDING last season, is the horse many want to be with after his impressive first-up fourth in the Run To The Rose.

TRAFFIC WARDEN, a G2 winner of the VRC Sires Produce last season and second in the G1 ATC Sires’, made a statement with his first-up win in the Run To The Rose (1200m) when he sustained a strong sprint over the last 400m to get the better of ANODE and STORM BOY with LINEBACKER finishing fast for a luckless fourth.

This time TRAFFIC WARDEN is drawn awkwardly (9) and is likely to settle further back but he benefits from a 1kg drop in weight that has him 0.5kg to 2.5kg better off against his Run To The Rose rivals.

LINEBACKER is meeting TRAFFIC WARDEN half a kilo worse but he is the “hot” horse out of the Run To The Rose after he surged to the line from last, running the fastest last 600m/200m sectionals of the day. And he would certainly have been at least a length closer over the line if his momentum had not been impeded when he ran out of clear air in the last 50 metres.

LINEBACKER also has one performance from last season that speaks volumes for his Golden Rose chances – his classy win in the G3 Baillieu over 1400m on a Good 4 at Rosehill where he got the better of ANODE in a close finish with BROADSIDING left three lengths behind in third place. Significantly ANODE was carrying 3kg more than LINEBACKER’s 55.5kg but  BROADSIDING had 1kg less.

It’s a result that suggests LINEBACKER and ANODE are generously priced in Golden Rose betting. Interestingly LINEBACKER will be wearing a stallion chain to help keep his temperament in check as he has a tendency to become aroused prior to his races.

This is a critical race for STORM BOY, the boom 2YO of last season who has earned high accolades with some brilliant wins in fast times but on other occasions has spoiled his chances with poor barrier manners.

Dwelling at the start has been costly as his three career defeats resulted from being unable to lead solo. They include his only start beyond 1200m when he finished three lengths back in fourth place in the ATC Sires Produce (Traffic Warden second) after a wide passage.

He was again beaten for the early lead after a moderate start in the Run To The Rose and his Golden Rose chances really depend on his ability to jump cleanly and cross quickly from the outside gate to clear his stablemates ANODE and MAYFAIR in the first 150m

A barrier extension that will make the robust colt more comfortable in the gates before the start will be applied for the Run To The Rose. If it helps STORM BOY jump and take command of the lead we could see him produce the sort of performance we have been expecting since he smashed the clock in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast in January.

GOLDEN ROSE SELECTIONS: LINEBACKER (EW) 1; Broadsiding 2; Traffic Warden 3; Emirate 4; Anode 5; Storm Boy 6.