Sniper Fire is available at the lengthy Golden Rose odds of $67, but trainer Chris Waller is not ruling the High Chaparral gelding out of contention in the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Sniper Fire will be the sole Chris Waller-trained runner in the 2014 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Sniper Fire made his racing debut in May and he produced two solid performances at Warwick Farm on May 7 and Randwick on May 21 before he broke through for his maiden race win in the Early Quaddie Plate (1350m) at Rosehill Gardens on May 31.
The talented three-year-old made it two wins on the trot when he took out the Freshworld Plate (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on June 14 and was sent to the spelling paddock for a brief break before the start of his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
Sniper Fire returned to the races in the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30 and he led from the start in the early stages of the race, but he tired in the last 100 metres to finish at the tail of the field.
Waller’s racing manager Liam Prior believes that Sniper Fire is one of the best longshot chances he has ever seen in a Group 1 event and the leading Sydney trainer agrees that Sniper Fire is over the odds at his current price in Golden Rose Stakes betting markets.
“He is a capable horse and it comes back to that winter form; he won two nice races over the winter,” Waller said.
“First-up he didn’t like that heavy track and he was soft, but gee I liked the way he gave a bit of a kick at the top of the straight.
“The barrier draw is not going to make the job easy, but they all have a good chance and I think a horse won it last year with a pretty bad draw.”
Sniper Fire has remained steady at the 2014 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $67 since betting opened after the final field was released on Tuesday, while Bring Me The Maid is now a clear favourite and has been the best-backed runner to take out the Group 1 event.
Waller has the opportunity to become the first trainer in the history of the Golden Rose to win the race in back-to-back years after he took out the 2013 edition of the race with Zoustar.
