The defeat of Almalad at Rosehill last Saturday has sent trainer Gai Waterhouse back to the drawing board with a start in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 13 under review.
Almalad, green and white, is not a certain starter in the Golden Rose Stakes. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Almalad’s undefeated record of three wins from three starts came to an end when he could only beat one runner home when ninth to Hallowed Crown in the Group 3 $125,000 MTA NSW Run To The Rose (1200m).
The Al Maher gelding lost his spot at the head of the Golden Rose Stakes market order with Ladbrokes.com.au and is now marked at $13 while the Run To The Rose winner Hallowed Crown has replaced him at the top of the betting and is now equal favourite with the Peter Moody trained Bring Me The Maid at $5.
Waterhouse said that she would have a good hard think if Almalad would run in the Golden Rose Stakes but she said that last seasons’s two year old Group 1 winner would definitely be heading to Melbourne for the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11.
“I’ll just let the dust settle, I just want to think about it,” Waterhouse told Racing Network.
“The Caulfield Guineas gives me a bit more time. We’ll monitor how he is in the next 10 days.”
Almalad went through his two year old season undefeated and after being put out after winning on debut at Gosford in December, he returned to score an impressive win over 1200m at Randwick in late May.
Waterhouse then immediately headed to Brisbane where Almalad scored a narrow win over the Chris Waller trained Brazen Beau in the Group 1 $500,000 Tatts Group J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.
Almalad was sent out the $4.80 second favourite in The Run To The Rose but after racing midfield on the heavy track failed to run on and finished three and three quarter lengths behind the Bart and James Cummings trained Hallowed Crown.
Hallowed Crown will now head towards the Golden Rose Stakes and co-trainer James Cummings thinks the other three year olds will have trouble turning the tables in the first Group 1 of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
“I am sure he will be the horse to beat in the Golden Rose,” James Cummings said.
“He is a cool customer and takes everything in his stride.
“No horse in the stable can raise the bar to him.
“He is unbeaten and it’s very exciting.”
