The poise and power of Nash Rawiller looms as a vital factor for Cylinder in the Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Rarely, if ever, have so many potentially outstanding three-year-olds matched with superb saddle technicians contested what has been a major group 1 sprint producing many topliners.
Nash Rawiller and Cylinder scored a powerful win in the Run to the Rose. Credit: Getty
Yes, the Chris Waller’s dual group 1 winner Militarize and Golden Slipper winner Shinzo are the best performed, but they are just ahead of Cylinder. Others, too, indicate an upward trajectory, particularly the filly Charm Stone, neighing at their hooves.
Which is where Rawiller could make the difference. Consider his Randwick treble last Saturday. Sure, he only had to be polished on Derry Grove, but no other jockey would have scored on Think It Over and Private Eye, which required heavy lifting in tight finishes.
Rawiller takes on world-renowned saddle opposition: Ryan Moore (Shinzo), who is regarded as the best by many; and Joao Moreira (Militarize), the Magic Man hailed as an all-time great in Hong Kong. Moreira showed the touch that made him exceptional with a Warwick Farm double on Wednesday.
However, Damian Lane won’t be overawed by international reputations when he attempts to make Charm Stone only the second filly to take the Golden Rose and the first to do so in spring.
Lane left Japan earlier this year with rave reviews and scored in the corresponding event 12 months ago on Jacquinot.
Then there’s the young lion, Zac Lloyd, on Nadal. Lloyd is the highest rating jockey on the Racing and Sports analysis for the course and distance. Out of five points, Lloyd (4.7) heads Lane, Moreira and Rawiller on 4.6 with Moore 4.5.
Joao Moreira returns to scale on Militarize after winning the Champagne Stakes.Credit: Getty
Jason Collett handles King Colorado, which comes out of a strong weight-for-age credential. Collett doesn’t figure with Racing and Sports, but admirers declare he times his late runs better than any rival in Sydney.
Rawiller, though, had racecourse broadcaster Darren Flindell aflutter when Cylinder triumphed last start in the Run To The Rose, going from “he’s all cluttered up” to “Nash finding a way out”.
The sizzling Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott combination are down in the betting order with Butch Cassidy, but their team is showing remarkable resilience to lead Chris Waller in the Sydney trainer’s premiership.
With a flock of two-year-old talent displayed at Randwick last Monday and nine Melbourne Cup entries, the partnership looks set for a spine-tingling spring that could entail Alligator Blood in today’s Caulfield major, the group 1 Underwood Stakes. Alligator Blood is backing up after being decisively outpointed by Mr Brightside at Flemington last Saturday. Still, Mr Brightside is Australia’s best miler.
Alligator Blood notched the Underwood last year run at Sandown under Tim Clark, who returns from injury today at Rosehill. The champ Damien Oliver has been navigating Alligator Blood in Melbourne this campaign.
Clark reckons the Underwood was a stronger chapter 12 months back, but beware of the more staying types. Waller’s Soulcombe, for instance could explode to new heights.
Waller also has Lindermann engaged with Hugh Bowman making a special trip from Hong Kong to apply his guile. Bowman looks out of place at Caulfield today considering he has won the Golden Rose five times. Lindermann gets an “improver” assessment and has been toiling up front, so he could keep Alligator Blood active.
Waterhouse, who recently gained long overdue legendary status, will be in down south casting her expertise over their Melbourne Cup hope, Goldman, which has to overcome a wide draw (19) in the Foundation Cup.
Caulfield is strong but Rosehill superior due to the Rawiller influence.
