Lionel Cohen has taking out his biggest Australian training win to date in today’s The Rosebud with talented gelding Aeronautical winning with ease ahead of Bello in second and Queenian in third.
Untapped three-year-old Aeronautical stamped himself as a genuine Golden Rose contender with another breathtaking performance to win Saturday’s Listed Rosebud Quality at Randwick.
Untapped three-year-old Aeronautical stamped himself as a genuine Golden Rose contender - Photo by Steve Hart
Aeronautical gave Lionel Cohen his first black-type success as a trainer as well as providing jockey Nathan Berry with his first stakes win since becoming a senior rider when he unleashed a devastating turn of foot to win the 1200m feature eased down by 3-1/-2 lengths.
Rosebud Preview winner Bello was left in Aeronautical’s wake in second place with topweight Queenian coming in half a length away third.
Cohen, 50, only started training a year ago after a successful career in South Africa as a breeder and owner.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet, his win last start was very special for me being my first city winner as a trainer and I enjoyed that a lot, and this today is so special as well,” Cohen said.
“Just the manner in which he won and the fact he was able to repeat his last win. I’m just taking it in at the moment and the future is still ahead of us.”
Cohen said he would like to give Aeronautical one more start before the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 10.
“I would probably want him to have another run but I’ll see where I want to run him,” he said.
The Rosehill-based trainer, who purchased Aeronautical for $100,000 at the Magic Millions sale as a yearling, believes there is still improvement in the talented youngster as he heads towards his Group One target.
“I thought I might have had him a touch underdone for today and I didn’t want to get ahead of myself,” the trainer said.
“I just wanted to get enough done for today and the way he put them to bed was impressive.”
Aeronautical firmed to $11 for the Group One Golden Rose with only Golden Slipper hero Sepoy ($4), unbeaten Smart Missile ($4.60), dual Group One winner Helmet ($5.50) and talented colt Foxwedge ($10) ahead of him following his dominant Randwick display.
“He is a serious contender (for the Golden Rose) I think,” Berry said.
“Just in the fact that he still has a lot of improvement left in him.
“It’s my first stakes win as a senior rider and it’s good to get it on such an impressive horse.”
Aeronautical settled out the back of the nine-horse field and Berry got on the back of Queenian into the straight before peeling him out.
Just like he did at Randwick four weeks earlier, Aeronautical unleashed a blistering turn of foot and put the race beyond doubt within the matter of 100m.
AAP TURF
