Golden Rose Distance A Concern For Sebring Sun

Trainer Gary Portelli has revealed that he is unsure whether Sebring Sun will be able to run out a strong 1400 metres in the 2015 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Sebring Sun will make his Group 1 debut in the 2015 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Sebring Sun will make his Group 1 debut in the 2015 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Sebring Sun has hit the line strongly in all three of his race starts this preparation and he appeared to run through the line when he finished third behind Shards in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on August 22, but Portelli admits that there is still a question mark over the son of Sebring’s ability to run out the trip in the 2015 Golden Rose Stakes this weekend.

“When I first looked at the race and he drew seven of nine I thought that it might be a little bit difficult because I was hoping that we would draw an inside gate to give him a chance to run out a solid 1400,” Portelli told RSN.

“That is the biggest concern for us, can he run the 1400?

“From that gate we are going to ride him back.”

The 2015 Golden Rose Stakes field was released yesterday and Portelli admits that he has had a tough time stacking up the form ahead of the Group 1 event in Sydney this weekend.

Portelli believes that the likes of Press Statement, Exosphere and Gold Symphony will prove tough to beat, but he feels that luck in running and tactical decisions from jockeys could well decide the outcome of the Golden Rose Stakes.

“It is a small field and there is nothing that has really lined up in a Group 1 yet,” Portelli said.

“We don’t really know the depth of the race and

“It will be interesting to see in three or four months what these horses have done.

“Press Statement obviously has winter carnival form, Gold Symphony has Melbourne form, Exosphere looks like being a superstar, but it is a tricky little race.

“It might come down to who gets the best run, but the favourites have got the good draws and they should get every chance.”

Sebring Sun is currently available at 2015 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $15 with Ladbrokes and he is on the fifth line of betting behind Run To The Rose winner Exosphere ($2.90), Chris Waller-trained Press Statement ($3.70), Furious Stakes winner Speak Fondly ($4.80) and Godolphin-owned duo Shards ($13) and Holler ($13).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.