High profile jockey Hugh Bowman is hoping the inside barrier will help the chances of Performer in the Group 2 $200,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill today.

Performer, above, has drawn the inside barrier in the 2018 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Performer, above, has drawn the inside barrier in the 2018 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Performer has been plagued with wide barriers at his last two starts and he was caught off the track for the entire journey first up when third to Graff in the Group 3 $150,000 Singapore Airlines San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 25.

“They didn’t go hard at all and it was a bit of a sprint home and suited the horses on pace,” Bowman told Sky Racing’s Racing HQ Saturday.

The Chris Waller trained Performer has the luxury of the number one gate today and Bowman would like to have the colt in a handy position and re-produce the talent he has shown on the training tracks.

“He has finally got a good barrier, his barriers have made it hard for him recently and from a good draw, if I can hold a spot I will,” Bowman said.

“I won’t be pushing him to do it and I think up to 1200m is a positive as well and I just want to see him produce at the races what he is showing at home.”

“He is a horse that oozes class but we haven’t see him produce on the track what he shows at home.”

Performer is marked at $7.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au for The Run To The Rose on race morning while the San Domenico Stakes winner Graff is the dominant favourite at $2.50.

Waller will also saddle up the $4.20 second favourite Zousain and $19 outsider Lean Mean Machine.

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.