Godolphin trainer James Cummings knows he has something special in Broadsiding, and that belief in the colt has encouraged him to use an unconventional preparation to defy history at Rosehill on Saturday.
Broadsiding, which was a two-time group 1 winner as a two-year-old, makes his return in the Golden Rose (1400m) trying to become the first horse to win the group 1 for three-year-olds first up.
James McDonald is mud-splatted as Broadsiding wins the Champagne Stakes.Credit: Getty
Cummings knows his horse but also knows there will be those thinking Broadsiding’s four-race winning run will come to end even though he is a $3.30 favourite for the feature.
“Our intimate knowledge of Broadsiding is that he prefers to be kept in work, so he didn’t have a long break after the JJ Atkins,” Cummings said. “He likes to be in work, so we got him back in quickly and kept him ticking along.
“He has been prepared in a European style in that he has not been out to a paddock for more than a month this year.
“I have been to Europe on two occasions and seen how they prepare horses for a mile first-up and they have them arriving in those races very fit and that is what he is.
“We have done this with other horses and had a bit of success, but not at this level.
“But we have the right horse to do it with at this level in Broadsiding.”
Broadsiding has had two barrier trials and has impressed everyone who has sat on him since being back in work at Agnes Banks.
James McDonald was in the saddle for his group 1 wins – the Champagne Stakes and JJ Atkins, both over 1600m – and believes he matured since.
“He is a different horse every time you get on him,” McDonald said. “He was a beast in the JJ Atkins but now he just grows a hand when I have got on him in the trials.
“There is so much more of him these days, and Saturday is going to be exciting.”
Broadsiding will be out to give Cummings his third Golden Rose after Hallowed Crown in partnership with his legendary grandfather Bart, and Bivouac for Godolphin.
He also has Run To The Rose winner Traffic Warden, which is the $4 second pick. He has followed the traditional path and was another reason why Broadsiding was saved for the big day.
“We were convinced that giving Broadsiding a run at six furlongs [in the Run To The Rose] was not going to be in his best interests because we didn’t think he could match Traffic Warden,” Cummings said.
“He is on the traditional path, Traffic Warden, and he is just bouncing coming out of that first-up win.
Traffic Warden launches to victory in the Run To The Rose at Rosehill a fortnight ago.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m utterly convinced we didn’t see the best of him as a two-year-old, even though he won a Sires in Melbourne and was runner-up in the Sires Produce Stakes at Randwick.
“He ran PB after PB after PB, and he did it again in the Run To The Rose, so he improved every time he went to the races, which is the sign of a very good horse.”
Although Godolphin has the favourites, the barrier draw wasn’t kind. Broadsiding will probably get back from his rails draw, and Traffic Warden has barrier nine in the field of 11.
“They don’t give away Golden Roses, and both our horses are ready to go but will need good rides from the draws,” Cummings said.
“They will have the race shape against them. Good horses can overcome that, but they will need outstanding rides to win the Golden Rose.”
There is a belief, however, that Broadsiding might just be at another level.
“Broadsiding’s record is an exciting; The horse is exciting,” Cummings said. “He is a head-turner for many reasons.
“However, talk is cheap when you’re a good two-year-old returning at three; there is a bridge that needs crossing and it is before him on the weekend.
“It is not the end of the road, but it is a challenge and it’s a bar that he needs to meet on raceday.
“But this horse has a good horse’s aura about him and needs to show it in the Golden Rose.”
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