Guelph stamps herself as the top filly in the Tea Rose Stakes

Darley’s Guelph stamped herself as the one to beat in the upcoming filly’s Group 1s later in the Spring Carnival with a classy win in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick today.

Guelph

Guelph strides out nicely to win the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Autumn star showed her appreciation for the 1400m and strode away over the concluding stages to score a comfortable win over the David Vandyke trained Arabian Gold with Bound For Earth winding up in third spot.

Trainer Peter Snowden said that Guelph was exceptional at 1400m and 1600m and will head to the Group 1 $400,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 5 before travelling to Melbourne for the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 16.

“I thought she ran super the other day. But her best form is when she gets to seven furlongs or a mile, we seen last time as a two year old. She’s good filly and she showed that today,” Snowden said.

“The extra motor kicks in when she gets past that 1200m and up to a mile she’s going to be very hard to beat.”

“The Flight stakes here then the Thousand Guineas and then we’ll see if we pull up stumps or go one more.”

Snowden expects Guelph to keep improving after today’s win and be in top order for her next two Group 1 assignments.

“She is training on really well and second up today she will take good improvement from it and she has really come on from her last start. She is just thriving in the stable and fingers crossed the mile will be spot on next start.”

Winning jockey Hugh Bowman, who was having his first ride on the Exceed And Excel filly replacing the suspended Kerrin McEvoy, settled Guelph just behind the leading bunch with Arabian Gold to her inside.

While Peter Robl on Arabian Gold sticking to the fence coming around the home turn, Bowman elected to scout wide giving Guelph a clear run home down the middle of the track.

Arabian Gold, who came in for some solid support to start the favourite at $2.35, momentarily hit the front at the 250m but it was plain to see that Guelph ($2.45) was winding up out wide and proved too strong in the run to the line to score by one and three quarter lengths.

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.