Trainer James Cummings is confident that Hallowed Crown can overcome his wide Golden Rose barrier draw in the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Hallowed Crown will defend his undefeated record in the Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hallowed Crown was equal favourite in Golden Rose Stakes betting markets after the final field was released this morning, but he has drifted out to a quote of $5.50 after Cummings drew barrier 14 for the talented colt.
Cummings said at the Golden Rose Stakes barrier draw that he remains confident about the chances of Hallowed Crown and he believes that the son of Street Sense has the turn-of-foot to win from his wide gate.
“I think that the important thing is that he is drawn around some horses that can really bring you into the race,” Cummings said.
“Last year Zoustar drew 16 and Claire’s (Cunningham) really good horse Dissident drew 14 and they came away and fought it out.
“He has a turn-of-foot, he came from a position where he was well back and coming wide around the bend first-up.
“He was able to demonstrate a turn-of-foot and that attribute can get him out of trouble.
“He is the sort of horse that has just kept on raising the bar.”
Hallowed Crown was ridden by Christian Reith in his two starts as a two-year-old, including his impressive win in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, and was partnered by Josh Parr in the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30, but Hugh Bowman has been booked to ride the three-year-old in the Golden Rose this weekend.
Bowman has had plenty of success for the Cummings stable in the past, taking out the 2012 Flight Stakes and 2013 Vinery Stud Stakes with Norzita, and Cummings said that he was happy to have the leading hoop on Hallowed Crown in the Golden Rose.
“He rode our champion filly Norzita to her two Group 1 wins and he has a good understanding of how the stable works,” Bowman said.
“In the lead-up to the Golden Rose we were trying to get James McDonald or Hugh Bowman to ride the horse first-up.
“James was committed to Godolphin and Hugh had the ride on Brazen Beau who did not end up running.
“Josh was booked for the one ride and Hugh became available for the Golden Rose and we were happy to get him.”
Wet weather has played a key role in the 2014 Sydney Spring Racing Carnival to date and the Golden Rose Stakes is set to be no exception; with likes of Nostradamus unlikely to contest the race if the Rosehill Gardens track is rain affected this weekend.
Hallowed Crown is a proven performer in the wet, having won both the Kindergarten Stakes and Run To The Rose on a heavy track, but Cummings is confident that the talented colt can perform just as well on a firmer surface.
“We know that if it rains it is really going to rule some of these horses out and some of them might not even run,” Cummings said.
“Peter Moody’s horse was effective in the heavy track first-up and it has probably had the benefit of an extra week between runs, but it is out of control.
“I would have a bit of faith in the colt that he can run just as well on top of the ground as he got through the mud.”
Hallowed Crown is currently available at Golden Rose odds of $5.50, with Peter Moody-trained Bring Me The Maid a clear favourite at a quote of $4.40.
