El Divino to grab the headlines in The Run To The Rose

Tulloch Lodge co-trainer Gai Waterhouse is hoping El Divino can grab the family headlines when he resumes in the Group 2 $175,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

El Divino, white colours, green and yellow cap, dead heats with Astern, royal blue, in the Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

El Divino, white colours, green and yellow cap, dead heats with Astern, royal blue, in the Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

El Divino is a half-brother to Chris Waller’s super star Winx who was on the back page of every newspaper and the headline story on every racing website after collecting her tenth win on the trot with an effortless win in the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick last Saturday.

Then less than twelve hours later El Divino and Winx’s dam Vegas Showgirl gave birth to a Snitzel filly at Segenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley.

While Vegas Showgirl’s daughters were in the limelight last weekend, Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, expects El Divino to be the talk of the race track this Saurday.

“It’s all been about his sisters this week which is nice but now’s El Divino’s time to shine,” Waterhouse 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.”

Jockey Hugh Bowman is the regular rider of Winx who will be chasing her second Cox Plate victory this Spring, and will be aboard El Divino in The Run To The Rose this week and in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill in another fortnight.

Bowman has been aboard El Divino in two recent barrier trials and got another feel of the Snitzel colt when he galloped with stablemate Prompt Response in between races at Randwick last Saturday and declared that he was ready to go.

Waterhouse agrees with Bowman and rates El Divino among the best three year old colts she has trained.

“I think he’s outstanding as simple as that. I’ve had a few outstanding colts so I know what I’m talking about,” Waterhouse 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 great chance.

“He’s a very good colt.”

El Divino is undefeated from two race starts for Waterhouse and after scoring a four and three quarter lengths win in a 1000m Gosford Two Year Old Maiden on March 17 went on to dead heat with Astern in the Group 3 $200,000 Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on April 2.

El Divino has finished second and third in two recent barrier trials at Randwick in preparation for his return to the racetrack.

In early betting for The Run To The Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au, El Divino is marked at $5 alongside of Astern with that pair fighting for favouritism with Impending and Star Turn who head the market order at $4.60.

Early market order for The Run To The Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Impending, Star Turn, $5 Astern, El Divino, $6 Mediterranean, $10 Good Standing, Telperion, $21 Leotie, $31 Manolo Blahniq, $35 Nikita, $41 Cellarman, Tessara, $101 Gadfly, $151 Lilac Lane.

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.