Aggressive placement has been the hallmark of Rosberg’s brief career to date and Clinton Mcdonald would love to continue that with a first-up run in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.
But the Cranbourne trainer is resigned to the fact he might have to reintroduce his boom colt, who finished third in a jumpout at Cranbourne on Monday morning, to the races against his own age on the same day.
The three-year-old would almost certainly need a less-than-capacity field in the Oakleigh Plate, a $750,000 handicap over 1100 metres, to be a chance of gaining a start owing to an official handicapper rating of 75, leaving the $200,000 Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) as the most likely first-up option.
“He runs on the 21st (of February) here at Caulfield, there’s either the Zeditave or the Oakleigh Plate,” McDonald said.
“It’s probably most likely we can’t get into the Oakleigh Plate, so it’ll be the Zeditave.”
The 1200-metre event will be just the third start for Rosberg and first since failing to beat a runner home in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) on October 4, when he pulled up with an issue.
At his only other start Rosberg was a half-length winner of the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
The son of Deep Field finished third in Monday’s workout, two lengths behind winner Gee Gees Mistruth.
Splitting that pair was Spywire, while also in the jumpout was Pride Of Jenni, who like Rosberg was given a quite trial and finished fifth, beaten about five lengths.
McDonald’s lofty ambitions with Rosberg are an indication of how happy he is with the colt, who won his earlier jumpout on January 26 and he said he had matured significantly during the break.
“He’s not such a kid, he’s a bit more mature now in the way that he behaves,” McDonald said.
“We can’t fault him and he’s done everything right.
“He’s an impressive colt to look at, he’s got a big motor and we know what’s there, it’s just a matter of getting him 100 percent on raceday.”
