Godolphin and its predecessors have a stunning record in The Run To The Rose and powerful colt Cylinder is a well backed odds-on favourite to continue that dominance this year.
Sheikh Mohammed’s operation has won the Golden Rose lead-up five times since its takeover of the Ingham family-owned Crown Lodge, the Inghams in turn having captured it five times before the sale of their breeding and racing stock to Godolphin.
In total, Godolphin/Crown Lodge-trained horses have won half of the 20 stagings of The Run To The Rose (1200m) and trainer James Cummings is bullish Cylinder can add his name to that honour roll, despite scraping home when a first-up winner of the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
“He got away with that first-up, narrow victory when the first four horses really flew over the last 400 metres,” Cummings said.
“He’s improved nicely from that effort.
“This is perfect, up to six furlongs three weeks later.”
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Butch Cassidy will be among those striving to upstage the favourite, the Written Tycoon colt earning his spot in the race with a first-up third behind Saturday’s rivals Libertad and Moravia in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m).
Bott has been buoyed by Butch Cassidy’s midfield draw in five and expects him to appreciate extending in journey.
“He has drawn really well to put himself in the race and 1200 should suit him,” Bott said.
“It was a high-pressure race last start, there’s probably not as much pressure in this race, so he can be a bit closer in the run and he’s done well.”
Unbeaten three-year-old Libertad is regarded as Cylinder’s biggest threat at $4.40 with Unibet, while Don Corleone ($8) is the only other runner at single-figure odds with Butch Cassidy a $14 chance.
