Windjammer can secure a start in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 14 if he can upstage some of his more fancied rivals at Rosehill tomorrow.
Windjammer winning first up this preparation at Rosehil. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Bjorn Baker trained three year old is a $7 chance in early markets for the Group 3 $125,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) which has Golden Slipper runner-up Sidestep the top pick at $3.20.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Whittington, with the blinkers on, is next pick at $4.40 with Queensland three year old Whiskey Allround also in the market at $6.
Baker is banking on Windjammer having a fitness edge going into tomorrow’s race after producing a top effort to score first up over 1100m at Rosehill two weeks ago.
“That’s the one thing he’s got a few runs on the board this time up and they have to get the runs on the board themselves,” Baker told the Sportsman.
“He’s in good order and it is always a big ask against the classy two year old comings back, the race looks a lot stronger than it was two weeks ago.”
“I think he is a better horse than he was as a two year old and his work suggests that as well.”
Windjammer failed to win a race in his two year old season but did enough to earn a start in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill in April when he managed to finish ninth to Overreach and Sidestep.
Windjammer is up against Sidestep again and Baker feels that a more mature colt with the benefit of a race start will even the score up.
“I think some of his two year old form might be slightly better than it looks on paper,” Baker said.
“He didn’t have a lot of luck in some of them. In the Todman there was a loose horse that hammered him a little bit, he copped a bad check and nearly fell in the Lonhro Plate and in the Slipper he was five deep for the trip.”
“Whether he just needed time to mature I’m not sure.”
Nathan Berry will be having his first race ride on Windjammer although he did partner the Bernardini colt in a Rosehill barrier trial win prior to his first up victory.
Top Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman was aboard Windjammer last start but has elected to ride the Anthony Cummings trained Cluster.
