Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse has declared the stable’s The Run To The Rose 2016 hope El Divino “a great chance” in the Rosehill Gardens showdown this Saturday in Sydney.
El Divino (inside) returns to racing in the 2016 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Waterhouse prepares the classy Snitzel colt in partnership with Adrian Bott and the duo have the $175,000 Group 2 The Run To The Rose (1200m) scheduled as El Divino’s first-up run.
A total of 14 three-year-olds make up The Run To The Rose nominations this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, the bulk of which are eyeing a run in the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) back at the course on September 10.
To date El Divino has had two starts for two wins, the latest being the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick in early April.
He’s yet to see the Rosehill track, but has trialled nicely in the lead-up to his weekend return where the bookies have him as a $5 chance in all-in The Run To The Rose odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
The youngster is also one of the best in futures Golden Rose betting paying $11.
The past four Golden Rose Stakes winners have all come off a The Run To The Rose start including Hallowed Crown (2014) and Exosphere (2015) who completed the double El Divino chases this season.
El Divino is a half-sister to the current highest-rated Australian racehorse Winx, Chris Waller’s superstar blitzing her own return last Saturday to make it ten on the trot in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m).
The pedigree line also made news this week when Winx and El Divino’s dam Vegas Showgirl gave birth to a filly, but Waterhouse said it was her colt’s “time to shine” on Saturday.
“It’s all been about his sisters this week which is nice but now’s El Divino’s time to shine,” she told Racenet.
“She’s [Vegas Showgirl] obviously an outstanding broodmare.
“I’ve got the brother who we brought at Easter. He’s an exceptional type, totally different to El Divino, they’re very different types of horses.”
A smart track gallop at Randwick last weekend that impressed jockey Hugh Bowman also has Waterhouse bullish over the “outstanding” colt’s chances of a Run To The Rose win.
“I think he’s outstanding as simple as that. I’ve had a few outstanding colts so I know what I’m talking about,” she said.
“He’s right there with the top three-year-old colts I’ve had in the past.
“He fills the eye and does everything you could ask of him. I think he goes into Saturday’s race with a great chance.
“He’s a very good colt.”
The other headline The Run To The Rose nominees according to the early markets include the John O’Shea-trained Lonhro colt Impending ($4.60), Team Hawkes’ San Domenico Stakes winner Star Turn ($4.60) and Godolphin‘s Astern ($5) last seen winning April’s Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).
Check out the pre-field The Run To The Rose 2016 odds below, prices courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au, before prices firm with final acceptances out on Wednesday morning.
