Unbeaten colt Graff has drawn the outside barrier in the Group 2 $200,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Graff, above, has drawn the outside barrier in the 2018 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Graff, above, has drawn the outside barrier in the 2018 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Graff kept his perfect record intact and made it three wins from three starts with a two and half lengths victory in the Group 3 $150,000 Singapore Airlines San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 25.

Winning jockey Jason Collett had the luxury of sticking to the inside fence from barrier one in the San Domenic Stakes but he will have more work to do this week after drawing the outside gate in the thirteen horse The Run To The Rose field.

Collett was very impressed with the win and said that there is still more improvement to come from the Star Witness colt.

“He’s a bit of lad, physically there is still improvement to come with him,” Collett said.

Trainer Kris Lees also has a high opinion of Graff who will be trying to secure a spot in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 22.

“He’s the best colt I’ve had anything to do with – a really exciting horse. Really pleased with how he’s come back and I think there’s some nice races in store for him,” Lees said.

The Chris Waller trained Performer has drawn the rails this week and will get his chance to turn the tables on Graff after finishing third in the San Domenico Stakes after jumping from gate eight in the nine horse field.

Hugh Bowman will stick with Performer while James McDonald will ride the Waller trained Zousain from barrier eight and Tye Angland has been engaged to ride the stablemate Lean Mean Machine who will jump from gate seven.

The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig will saddle up two runners in The Run To The Rose with Tommy Berry to ride Long Leaf and Luke Currie booked to ride Smart Elissim.

Sandbar was well supported in the betting ring before scoring first up in the Listed $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill on August 11 and has drawn barrier ten with Corey Brown taking over the reins from Kerrin McEvoy.

McEvoy has swapped mounts with Brown and will ride the David Atkins trained Jonker (barrier 4) who finished a first up fourth to Graff in the San Domenico Stakes.

Final field for the 2018 The Run To The Rose (1200m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 146122x ZOUSAIN Chris Waller James McDonald 8 57.5kg 90
2 13310x LEAN MEAN MACHINE Chris Waller Tye Angland 7 57.5kg 88
3 11×1 GRAFF Kris Lees Jason Collett 13 57kg 85
4 1x1L0x3 PERFORMER Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 1 57kg 83
5 323x81x8 PAQUIRRI Gary Moore Christian Reith 3 57kg 81
6 2×221 DANAWI Tim Martin 11 57kg 75
7 11628×1 SANDBAR Brad Widdup Corey Brown 10 56kg 85
8 11x10649x2 LONG LEAF David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Tommy Berry 9 56kg 82
9 110×4 JONKER David Atkins Kerrin McEvoy 4 56kg 78
10 1x4342x8 LEGEND OF CONDOR Gerald Ryan Brett Prebble 12 55kg 80
11 5310×5 TCHAIKOVSKY Peter & Paul Snowden 5 55kg 71
12 113 SMART ELISSIM David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Luke Currie 2 55kg 70
13 47×14 NUCLEAR BLITZ Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Andrew Adkins 6 53kg 62

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.