Another impressive Warwick Farm performance on Saturday could prompt a Golden Rose rethink for connections of talented colt Urquidez.
Urquidez will take aim in the Listed Rosebud (1200m) but is not among nominations for next month’s $1 million Golden Rose.
Trainer Jarrod Austin said Urquidez would only have a light spring after his impressive first-up victory in the Rosebud Qualifier (1100m) on July 28, but admitted the lure of the Golden Rose would be harder to resist should the colt win again.
“It’s been discussed but we’ll just take it one race at a time,” Austin said.
“If he won impressively again you’d be mad not to consider it.”
Urquidez’s owners would need to pay a $50,000 late entry fee to run the colt in the Golden Rose.
The owners of Manawanui paid the late entry last year after he won the Up And Coming Stakes and the Ron Leemon-trained gelding went on to claim the Golden Rose.
“We know his story and it’s playing in the back of our minds for sure,” Austin said.
Urquidez forms part of a small field for the Rosebud.
She’s A Fox has been installed favourite on the back of her impressive return win on the same program as Urquidez’s first-up success.
Austin said Urquidez had trained on well ahead of his first stakes test.
“There was plenty to work with first-up and he’s definitely improved since then,” Austin said.
“He’s up against much harder opposition though on Saturday, but I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Weights were raised half a kilogram when the final six-horse field was declared on Wednesday allowing Hugh Bowman to ride She’s A Fox at 56kg.
Melbourne visitor Pronto Pronto has topweight with 58kg while Secret Delight (55kg) and impressive Goulburn debut winner Red Dynamite (54.5kg) round out the field.
Patsy Girl has been scratched to run in another race on the card.
While Austin is confident Urquidez will acquit himself well, he fears the talented Anthony Cummings-trained She’s A Fox.
“She was very impressive and will certainly be hard to beat,” he said.
Austin will also start Sweet Cinderella first-up in the Zoffany at Coolmore Handicap (1200m) and said the mare was in good order for her return.
