Little Brose out to join elite pair in the Caulfield Guineas
Little Brose will join two illustrious names on the Caulfield Guineas honour roll if successful in the Group 1 race for three-year-olds on Saturday.
Only two horses have won the Blue Diamond Stakes and Caulfield Guineas double since the Blue Diamond was first run in 1971.
Champion sprinter Manikato took the double in 1978 while Redoute's Choice won the Blue Diamond at his second start as a two-year-old before winning the Guineas at start number six.
Manikato went on to claim 29 wins from his 47 starts, including winning the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in five consecutive years while Redoute's Choice later became a champion sire standing at Arrowfield Stud before his death in 2019 at the age of 22.
The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained Little Brose has a long way to go to live up to the deeds of those two champions, but can take a step closer to the pair if successful in the Guineas on Saturday.
Little Brose took out the Blue Diamond at Sandown in February, at his fourth race start.
Put away after running eighth in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill, Little Brose has had three runs to date in his three-year-old year, all at Caulfield.
He was a first-up fourth over 1100m, improving to third in the McNeil Stakes (1200m) on September 2 before finishing sixth behind Steparty in the Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 23.
J D Hayes said he expects the rise in trip to 1600m to suit Little Brose on Saturday.
"I thought it was an encouraging run the other day," Hayes said.
"He's been building, building, building, but we're going to need a lot of luck for the Grand Final."
Hayes concedes Little Brose does need to step it up a fraction if he is to match it with fellow Group 1 winners Militarise and King Colorado while also turning the tables on Steparty and Australian betting agencies agree pricing him at $31.
The blinkers remain a part Little Brose's race day gear.
"We've kept him at Flemington since his last run, and we've popped him over a few logs just to change things up for him," Hayes said.
"Any improvement we can get out of him is certainly going to help, but we're going to need everything in our favour.
"But we're happy with the way he's going."
More Racing News
Antino up for G1 Kingsford Smith Cup challenge
Tony Gollan knows this Saturday’s Kingsford Smith Cup will be the toughest test of Antino’s career, but he is confident the five-year-old can be a factor in the $1 million event. Queensland’s leading trainer has described the 1300-metre event, one of two Group 1 races at Eagle Farm this Saturday, as the race...
Selino prepares for Brisbane Cup title defence
Finding suitable races for a dour stayer at this time of year is a challenge for even Australia’s most accomplished horsemen, just ask Chris Waller. Waller has his sights set on Selino defending his Brisbane Cup crown but says working out how to get him there has required a bit of novel...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...