Guineas provides valuable Ellerslie experience for Rose
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • December 24th, 2024 11:36 AM
With a potential $5 million worth of targets looming on the horizon, Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are keen to give Damask Rose another look around the course where it will all be happening.
The Savabeel filly is set to be the centre of attention in the Gr. 2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, having rocketed to the top of the TAB’s fixed-odds markets for the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO and the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi.
Damask Rose was a $200,000 yearling purchase by David Ellis at Karaka last year, and she has returned $228,535 from a four-start career that has produced two wins and two placings.
A winning debut in late December of last year earned her an early shot at the big time in the Karaka Millions 2YO, where she was a highly creditable runner-up behind Velocious.
Damask Rose ran third behind leading fillies Alabama Lass and Captured By Love in the Gr. 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings in September, then returned from a spring freshen-up with a dominant victory under 59 kilograms at Te Rapa on December 14.
“She was impressive at Te Rapa the other day,” Walker said. “It’s always good to see a horse that you rate highly return with a performance like that. It gives you a bit of confidence leading into the bigger targets that you’re working towards.”
The TAB now rates Damask Rose a $3 outright favourite for the Karaka Millions 3YO over 1600 metres at Ellerslie on January 25, while she shares $8 favouritism with Aeliana and Savaglee for the inaugural 1500-metre NZB Kiwi at the same venue on March 8.
“You have to pick and choose your targets when you’ve got a good three-year-old, because you can’t go to everything,” Walker said. “After she placed in the Gold Trail earlier in the season, we had to decide whether a campaign towards Riccarton was the right thing to do with her, or whether we hold back and save her for the summer. We ended up taking the more patient approach, and touch wood, it might pay off.
“It’s going to be good to give her another look around Ellerslie on Boxing Day. That’s where the majority of the top-class racing for three-year-olds will be from now on, so it makes sense to give her as many opportunities as we can to familiarise herself with the track. She’s already had the one start there, running a very good second in the Karaka Millions as a two-year-old.
“We’re really happy with her. Since it was a fairly quick turnaround from that first-up run into Boxing Day, we had her very forward for Te Rapa. She’s come through it really nicely as well.”
The Auckland Guineas is set to be Damask Rose’s final raceday appearance before the Karaka Millions.
“There are some trials at Matamata on the 14th of January, so we think a quiet trial will be the best way to keep her up to the mark between Boxing Day and the Karaka Millions,” Walker said.
Picture at the Top of the Page: After a winning return at Te Rapa last weekend, Damask Rose takes another big step in the Auckland Guineas on Boxing Day. Photo: Supplied
