Press Statement will return to the races in the 2015 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and jockey Tye Angland believes that the talented colt could be vulnerable in the Group 2 event.
Press Statement will defend his unbeaten record in the 2015 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Press Statement recorded three wins from as many race starts as a two-year-old and he was sent to the spelling paddock after he took out the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Doomben on June 6, but he has since trialed well at Rosehill Gardens on August 4 and Warwick Farm on August 14.
Angland was happy with the feel that he was given by Press Statement in the two barrier trials, but he told Sky Racing HQ that the Hinchinbrook colt may need a run before he is at peak fitness and could be slightly underdone in the 2015 The Run To The Rose.
“We don’t do too much on Chris’ horse and he likes to get them fit through their track work,” Angland said.
“Once Chris’ horses get to the races they probably take one run and they are at their top fitness and they can hold that for quite a few starts.
“This horse will be a bit vulnerable first-up against some pretty smart horses that have been racing and our grand final is the Golden Rose.
“Obviously we would all love him to win, but if he doesn’t win and is finishing off strong and he is doing it all at the right end then we are going to be coming out of the race happy.
“My only concern would be first-up against the horses that are rock hard fit.”
While Angland is unsure how forward Press Statement will be for The Run To The Rose, he clearly has a very opinion of the colt and believes that he has returned as an even stronger horse as a three-year-old.
The Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 12 is the early 2015 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Press Statement and Angland believes that the J.J. Atkins winner has plenty of positives heading towards the Group 1 event.
“We got to win a Group 1 with him last prep as a two-year-old and hopefully he comes up as a nice, early three-year-old,” Angland said.
“Because he was a late two-year-old he was still quite big, but he has just muscled up in behind and he is a real professional.
“His attitude during a race is great, when you give him a squeeze he will respond and as soon as you ask him to come back he does that as well.
“He doesn’t overraced and he has a lot of positives about him this horse.”
Press Statement is currently available at 2015 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $10 with Ladbrokes and he is on the third line of betting behind Vancouver ($3) and Japonisme ($6).
