Press Statement has had considerably less time off than his fellow Group One winning juveniles but Chris Waller is not concerned.
The colt, the winner of the final two-year-old race of last season, the J J Atkins in Brisbane in June, will run in a barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday.
He is destined for a mouth watering clash with Golden Slipper winner Vancouver and Pride Of Dubai, the winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes, in the $1 million Golden Rose on September 12.
Pasadena Miss, the winner of the other two-year-old Group One race in 2014/15, the Champagne Stakes, will be kept to fillies races this spring.
Waller said Press Statement had a short break in Queensland after his Atkins win and had thrived in the warmer weather.
“One of their weeks (in Queensland) is equal to two of ours,” Waller said.
“He has put on weight and is very well.
“The plan is to go to the Run To The Rose two weeks before the Golden Rose.
“The only problem is that as a Group One winner he gets a four kilo penalty and has to carry 60 kilograms.
“But there’s not another suitable race for him leading into the Golden Rose.”
While Vancouver and Pride Of Dubai are likely to head to the Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Waller has a different plan for Press Statement and will bring him back to 1200 metres.
“We’ve had success in the Coolmore Stud Stakes for the past two years so I think that’s where he will probably go,” he said.
Zoustar won the 2013 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Brazen Beau took out the 1200m straight-track sprint last year with both Waller-trained colts snapped up by major studs.
The trainer has several other Group One performers, including Sydney Cup winner Grand Marshal, scheduled to trial on Tuesday ahead of their spring campaigns.
