Victorian raider Daumier can etch his name in the record books if he becomes the first Blue Diamond Stakes winner to capture the Group 1 Golden Rose.
Incredibly, the only winner of Melbourne’s premier juvenile race to have contested the Golden Rose was the three-year-old’s Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained stablemate Artorius, who finished fourth last year.
The trainers have used a slightly different template for Daumier’s attempt, Artorius tackling the 1400m Sydney feature third-up while Daumier heads there at his second run from a spell but with the benefit of a recent Hawkesbury barrier trial.
He will need to improve on his first-up effort behind 2022 Golden Rose rival Jacquinot in the McNeil Stakes when he raced on the speed and tired but co-trainer Sam Freedman is confident the colt has taken significant benefit from the hitout and says he has the right formlines to feature.
“He’s up to it. He’s improved off the first-up run and all the form seems to be tying in with a lot of them,” Sam Freedman said.
“There’s a bit of new form with In Secret and a few others, but he’s proven at the top level and he’s been ultra-consistent during his career.”
Freedman revealed Daumier will be ridden off the speed from barrier seven and given the chance to finish the race off.
“He’s drawn a nice gate and we’re going to ride him quiet. In that latest trial, it was the first time we’ve ridden him quietly,” Freedman said.
Daumier will be among three Godolphin runners in Saturday’s $1 million race, along with the James Cummings-trained pair of Run To The Rose winner In Secret and Ming Dynasty victor Golden Mile, who are the top two in betting.
Golden Mile raced just once at two but has burst onto the scene this spring and Cummings believes he deserves a shot at a major.
“I like the way he continues to go ahead and it will be a great opportunity for him to have his crack at a Group 1,” Cummings said.
“He’s still got to keep rising to the occasion, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”
In Secret is looking to become the second member of her sex to topple the males with Forensics (2008) the only successful female since the race became known as the Golden Rose 20 years ago.
While Cummings is mindful she meets several of her last-start rivals at least a kilo worse at the weights, he reports In Secret has thrived since her Run To The Rose victory.
“Her win in what is traditionally the main lead-up to the Golden Rose was outstanding,” Cummings said.
“She will meet some of those horses interestingly at the weights, but she’s trained on beautifully since then.”
