Shamus Award was the big winner of the 2014 Rosehill Guineas barrier draw this morning; with the Cox Plate winner set to jump from barrier 1 in the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Shamus Award will jump from the inside barrier in the 2014 Rosehill Guineas this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Shamus Award is expected to lead the 2014 Rosehill Guineas field in the early stages of the race, after scoring an impressive all the way win in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1, and trainer Danny O’Brien is confident that he can bounce back from his sixth place finish in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).
Starting next to Shamus Award in the 2014 Rosehill Guineas will be talented New Zealand-trained colt Puccini, who will jump from barrier two in his Australian racing debut.
Puccini is currently rated a leading chance for both the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby after winning the Group 2 Waikato Guineas (2000m), Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in impressive fashion.
New Zealand trainers have a strong hand in the 2014 Rosehill Guineas field; with Murray Baker including Atlante and Show The World in the acceptances for the Group 1 event.
Atlante (barrier nine) made his Australian racing debut with a second place finish in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) and was far from disgraced in the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m), while Show The World is expected to relish the step-up in trip, but will need plenty of luck after drawing barrier 17.
Dissident is chasing his third straight victory when he contests the Rosehill Guineas on Saturday and should receive a lovely run into the race after drawing barrier seven.
Trainer Peter Moody said before Dissident’s win in the Royal Randwick Guineas that he would be better suited to the Rosehill Guineas and the son of Sebring has the chance to join Metal Bender (2009) and It’s A Dundeel (2013) as the only horses that have won both races.
Other horses that will be backing up from the Randwick Guineas include: the fast-finishing Teronado (barrier three), Patinack Farm-owned Hooked (barrier eight), John O’Shea-trained Savvy Nature (barrier 12), Australian Guineas placegetter Criterion (barrier 14) and Darley colt Tupac Amaru (barrier 15).
Another horse that fared well in the 2014 Rosehill Guineas barrier draw is Anthony Cummings-trained Thunder Fantasy (barrier six), who will be having her third straight start at Group 1 level after finishing third in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and eighth in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).
Rounding out the 2014 Rosehill Guineas final field are Alastair Clarke Stakes placegetter Surge Ahead (barrier ten), Gai Waterhouse-trained Order Of The Sun (barrier five), Cranbourne-based Late Charge (barrier 11), the consistent Cadillac Mountain (barrier 16), John Sargent-trained Mr One Eleven (barrier four) and provincial galloper Eyre Square (barrier 13).
