Co-trainer James Cummings has confirmed that Hallowed Crown will start his autumn campaign in either the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 or the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens a week later.
Hallowed Crown has been set for the Royal Randwick Guineas during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart
Cummings revealed earlier this month that the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 7 would be the major 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival target for Hallowed Crown and he told Racing Ahead this morning that he would like to send the Golden Rose Stakes winner into the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick second-up.
“I would really like to have him second-up in the Randwick Guineas, so if he could run in a seven furlong race first-up that would be ideal and there are a couple of them coming up in three weeks,” Cummings said.
Hallowed Crown made his first public appearance, since he suffered his maiden race defeat in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick in October last year in an exhibition gallop at Royal Randwick on Saturday and he impressed onlookers by the way he cruised to the line in an impressive time of 47.65 seconds for his final 800 metres.
Cummings was not on hand to fitness the exhibition gallop, but he said that he had received nothing but positive reports and was happy that the Street Sense colt now had a fitness base to work with.
“He has been coming to hand really nicely for us and it was nice to see him out in the public eye there,” Cummings said.
“I was in New Zealand, but I got to see some of the replays and he looked particularly good next to The Peak, who is a really nice Saturday class sprinter.
“It was good to see him have that lung burner and it will leave him in good stead, especially considering these trials at Randwick are in a little bit of doubt as we have had three inches of rain over the last seven days.”
Hallowed Crown has been included in the acceptances for the fifth barrier trial over 1000 metres at Royal Randwick on Friday morning and he will take on the likes of Gai Waterhouse-trained Echo Gal and Nayeli, Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win, Godolphin filly Shaumari and talented colt Law.
The three-year-old has recorded four wins from his five career starts including impressive wins at Group level in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m), Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) and Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
