A win in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill could see brilliant colt Menari secure a slot in the $10m The Everest (1200m).
Menari, above, could be a contender of The Everest with a win in the Golden Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Menari has been undefeated from two runs this campaign and has been installed as the $2 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Golden Rose against the three year olds.
Trainer Gerald Ryan hasn’t ruled out The Everest for Menari but another dominant win in the Golden Rose could be enough ammunition for the son of Snitzel to take on the open class sprinters at weight for age in the The Everest at Randwick on October 14.
“I’m not a big rap on three-year-olds at this time of year against older horses but looking at him, he’s a big strong horse, he’s 570 kilos, he carries 53 (kilos) and he can run the sectional times,” Ryan told AAP.
“If you’re going to have a three-year-old colt have a crack at the older horses, perhaps he’s the one.”
Menari has been super impressive with his two Golden Rose lead up runs that produced a first up win in the Listed $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill on August 12 followed by another dominant win over Golden Rose rival Pariah in the Group 2 $200,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on September 9.
Josh Parr rides Menari again who drew worse than midfield at barrier eleven in the fourteen horse field and Ryan admits that Run To The Rose runner up Pariah and the unbeaten Melbourne colt Merchant Navy are the hardest to beat.
“Pariah is going to be hard to beat, the horse that’s come up from Melbourne (Merchant Navy) is going to be hard to beat,” Ryan said.
“Gai’s horse (Gold Standard) won the Stan Fox, he’s in great form.”
Ryan is still to formulate tactics with Parr but he can envisage a hot pace up front which will allow Menari to slot in just off the pace from his wide barrier and give himself a chance to find the line hard.
“With a firm track and a hot pace up front, he’ll be hitting the line hard,” Ryan said.
“He’s a horse you can use his speed or he can sit back and he’s got a terrific turn of foot.”
Menari is the dominant favourite for the Golden Rose at $2 at Ladbrokes.com.au and is well ahead of his nearest rival Pariah at $6 with Merchant Navy the next in the betting at $8.50.
Menari has also been included in the all in betting for The Everest at Ladbrokes.com.au and is listed at $6.50 behind Chautauqua at $5, Vega Magic at $5.50 and Redzel at $6.
