The Run To The Rose might not be the only Golden Rose launching pad on Saturday’s Rosehill program.
While the 1200m Group Three event features four of the top nine horses in betting for next month’s $1 million race – including early favourite All Too Hard – Saturday’s TVN Jockeys Trust Handicap (1400m) could be the race to offer up a smokey.
Among the candidates for the easier assignment are Nediym’s Quest and Norzita, both $51 Golden Rose chances, along with Red Dynamite and Turnley who are at triple figure odds for the Group One.
But at least one trainer hasn’t given up hope of getting his three-year-old to the September 18 feature.
Clarry Conners will saddle up last start Hawkesbury winner Turnley and if he is successful, the gelding will take on the likes of All Too Hard next start.
“If he wins we will run in the Golden Rose against all those silvertails,” Conners said.
“He’s got to win but he’s a nice horse.”
Turnley won his first start at Wyong in June by 6-1/2 lengths and followed it with two fourths and a third at his next three runs.
On the advice of jockey Peter Robl, Conners made a change.
“I had him sprinting early on but Peter Robl said to me, `he wants 1400 or 1600 metres’,” Conners said.
“So I put him over 1400 at Hawkesbury and it was a good, gutsy win.”
Robl has ridden Turnley in four of his five starts and again has the mount on Saturday.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Proisir is the early favourite for the TVN Jockeys Trust Handicap following his decisive debut victory at Hawkesbury on August 1.
Norzita for Bart Cummings is on the second line of betting after she was unlucky in her last start fifth to Longport.
David Payne will start Chez Harmony with a view to finding out exactly where she fits in to the spring picture.
“I’m not sure if she’s up to the top fillies so we’ll see how she goes on Saturday and we might try to get some black type down the track,” he said.
AAP TURF
