Simon Miller is looking for positives after his luck deserted him in the lead up to the Group 2 $400,000 Sky Racing-W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Gai Waterhouse will saddle up Vitello in the WA Guineas at Ascot. Photo by Steve Hart.
The prominent Perth trainer will saddle up two of the top three fancies in the Guineas, Miss Rose De Lago and Saint Bro, but both three year olds will need a mountain of luck after drawing extremely wide barriers.
The undefeated Saint Bro will jumped from the outside gate of the fifteen horse field while the inform Miss Rose De Lago will jump from barrier ten.
“I’ve got all the ammo and they are flying,” Miller told the Sportsman.
“I haven’t given up but I’ve been deflated. Positive things happen to positive people so I have to regroup and remain positive.”
“Miss Rose De Lago is going to need luck from that gate but she is good enough to overcome it.”
“I feel sorry for Saint Bro, he’s a really good horse but he’s drawn sixteen of sixteen (in the original draw) so he’s in a bit of trouble.”
Miss Rose De Lago has been posted the $3.30 favourite for the W.A. Guineas after having won three of her five race starts, including her last two in the Listed $100,000 Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 2 and the Group 3 $200,000 Skyy Vodka – W.A. Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 16.
While Saint Bro, a $7 chance, is undefeated from two race starts with a win over 1200m at Ascot on October 30 followed by a win in the Listed $100,000 Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 9.
Splitting the pair in the market order is the Gai Waterhouse trained colt Vitello who has been marked at $5.50 after winning in restricted company over 1800m at Randwick on November 5.
Miller also had no luck at the barrier draw with his other two feature race runners with Platinum Rocker likely to jump from gate fifteen if the emergencies don’t get a start in the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught – Railway Stakes (1600m).
And Power Princess will jump from gate twelve in the thirteen horse Group 1 $500,000 Crown Perth – Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
While Miller concedes that last start Group 3 winner Platinum Rocket ($17) is facing a daunting task, he hasn’t given hope up on Power Princess who is trying to go one better than last year after finishing second to Barakey in the 2012 weight for age Group 1 sprint.
“I reckon she is going better now than what she was last year. It’ll be bloody exciting come Saturday to see if she can go one better,” Miller said.
Power Princess will again be up against local hero Barakey and last year’s third placegetter Spirit Of Boom as well as the in-form Buffering, who is aiming up for a hat trick of Group 1 wins and Peter Moody’s Group 1 winner Moment Of Change.
Power Princess has been marked a $10 chance to win the Winterbottom Stakes with Buffering dominating the betting as the $2.20 favourite ahead of Barakey at $4.40 while Moment Of Change and Spirit Of Boom share the next line of betting at $7.50.
