John O’Shea is still waiting to be asked to run Promise Of Success and Rocha Clock in The Invitation, but will use The Nivison at Randwick on Saturday as a lead-up to the $2 million race.
It is surprising Rocha Clock, the runner-up to Icebath in the first Invitation, hasn’t been asked back, while Promise Of Success was one of the most consistent mares in work in the autumn, where she won the Emancipation Stakes.
Promise Of Success booms home to win on Everest day last year.Credit:Getty
“We would have liked them to already be confirmed in the Invitation, but it wouldn’t change anything because they both need to run here [The Nivison],” O’Shea said. “I think they are both big chances in that race in a fortnight.
“They are both mares that are better second-up and the plan has been the same with both of them, run in the Nivison and then try to win the Invitation.
“Rocha Clock is probably not as happy in the heavy ground as Promise Of Success, who I think is ready to go after a couple of good barrier trials.
“If Promise Of Success can win this race, I’m sure they will be asking what I’m doing in a couple of weeks straight after the race because she has the right profile.
“We also are giving Charleise and Jal Lei a chance to get some black type in this race. Jal Lei has the benefit of a few runs under her belt and handles heavy going.”
Expat is the $4.60 favourite for a wide-open edition of The Nivison, with Godolphin mare Heresy at $6, while O’Shea’s pair of Promise Of Success and Jal Lei are at $7.
“We have taken the blinkers off Expat and she is coming back in trip to 1200m from the 1400m of the Golden Pendant,” trainer Mark Newnham said. “She is a very fit horse and likes the heavy ground and I will tell Tommy [Sherry] to be aggressive and make these mares that are first-up chase him.”
Meanwhile, O’Shea is likely to scratch Golden Rose placegetter Zou Tiger from the Tapp-Craig on a very heavy track, where he is a $2 favourite.
“It is a nice race, but we have to think about the $1 million race in two weeks’ time and I don’t want to risk him on a bottomless track,” he said. “I think you will find a lot of trainers will be thinking the same way.”
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