The Chris Waller trained pair of Press Statement and Japonisme head the nominations for the 2015 Group 2 $175,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Press Statement is one of two Chris Waller three year olds nominated for The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Two year old Group 1 winner Press Statement and the in-form Japonisme are two of only ten three year olds entered for The Run To The Rose, forcing the Australian Turf Club to extend the nomination deadline until 11am on Tuesday August 25.
Press Statement went through his two year old season undefeated from three race starts and will be having his first run back since winning the Group 1 $600,000 BMW Australia J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Doomben on June 6, during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
The Hinchinbrook colt is one of the top fancies for the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12 and a win on Saturday will see him shorten in from his current quote of $10 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
“The plan is to go to the Run To The Rose two weeks before the Golden Rose,” Waller said.
“The only problem is that as a Group One winner he gets a four kilo penalty and has to carry 60 kilograms.
“But there’s not another suitable race for him leading into the Golden Rose.”
Japonisme is one of the most improved three year olds racing in Sydney at the moment, winning at his last four starts and Waller is happy to give him a chance of earning a spot in the Golden Rose Stakes.
“It would be a tough race to bypass and it is in our backyard,” Waller said of the Golden Rose Stakes.
“I really think that he is a good sprinter.
Japonisme only won his maiden at Canterbury on July 8 then worked his way up through the classes with two wins at Rosehill in an 1100m two year old Handicap on July 18 followed by a win in an 1100m three year old BenchMark 72 on August 1.
Waller then stepped the gelding up to Stakes level and he didn’t disappoint with a win in the Group 3 $125,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 15, leaving behind in his wake the short priced Golden Slipper winner Vancouver who missed a place to finish fourth.
Trainer John O’Shea has nominated two for The Run To The Rose, the highly rated Exosphere and Holler.
Exosphere will be having is first run back after finishing at the tail of the sixteen horse field in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
His lead up form before the Golden Slipper was first class and included a win in Group 2 $175,000 Pro-Ride Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 28.
Exosphere has been prepared for his comeback run with two barrier trials, a seventh over 840m at Randwick on July 31 followed by a win over 809m at Warwick Farm on August 14.
But O’Shea is yet to confirm a rider for the Lonhro colt in The Run To The Rose after stable jockey James McDonald was suspended for five meetings for careless riding following his win on stable runner Shards in the Group 3 $125,000 Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Holler is a winner of one of his two races and is having his first run back after finishing third in an 1100m two year old Plate at Randwick on June 6.
Peter And Paul Snowden trained Redzel heads the remainder of The Run To The Rose entries which include Brockhoff (Ciaron Maher), El Corazon (Richard Butler), Let’s Make It Rain (Ron Quinton), Mr Optimistic (Tony Noonan) and the Gai Waterhouse trained Raphael’s Cat.
