Golden Slipper Stakes winner Vancouver looks fool proof as he prepares to kick off his Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 3 $125,000 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Golden Slipper winner Vancouver looks fool proof heading into the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Vancouver has been installed the short priced favourite for his Spring opener and his ability to win in all conditions is one of his best attributes.
“This horse has won on wet, dry. He’s won from wide barriers, he’s led and he’s come from behind,” Tulloch Lodge’s Mark Newnham told AAP.
“He’s versatile in the way he can be ridden.”
The Gai Waterhouse trained colt was the superior colt of his two year old season with four wins from four starts including a remarkable win in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Tommy Berry was able to ride a brilliant race from the outside barrier of the sixteen horse Golden Slipper field to take control of the race half way down the straight to score a three quarter of a lengths win over stablemate English and the Team Hawkes trained Lake Geneva.
Two starts earlier the Medaglia D’Oro colt was able to win first up on a soft 6 rated track in the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 31 before coring a dominant win in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 7.
Newhnam said that Vancouver has thrived since his return to the stable and was brilliant in his final serious hit out at Randwick last Saturday morning when he galloped with Group 1 winning stablemate Cosmic Endeavour.
“Pretty faultless work to watch,” Newnham said.
“He’s done a fair bit of groundwork and Gai’s always got the opinion that you have them fit to run so it doesn’t hurt them, regardless of whether they’ve got a long preparation ahead or not,” Newnham said.
“Especially colts, you want them coming out of the race well and having a good experience. He’s certainly fit enough for an 1100 metre race.”
Berry was aboard Vancouver for three of his four wins, including the Golden Slipper, and is set to maintain his winning association with the glamour colt and he even postponed his honeymoon to be in the saddle again in the San Domenico Stakes.
Berry should be able to settle Vancouver just off the speed from barrier seven in the eight horse field and keep him out of trouble until heads are turned for home.
San Domenico Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.50 Vancouver, $5 Redzel, $5.50 Japonisme, $7 King’s Troop, $8.50 Haptic, $9 Headwater, $81 Salerno, $101 Alarat.
