This Saturday is going to bring a much sharper picture to the three year-old colts division with key races at Rosehill and Flemington featuring a mix of established stars and up and comers, but the one thing we do know is that come Monday some bubbles will have burst.
The Group II ATC Run to the Rose (1200m) is a key lead-up to the Group I ATC Golden Rose and features two Coolmore owned colts in Storm Boy and Switzerland as well as Godolphin’s very consistent Traffic Warden.
Also engaged the flying WA gelding Bustling, quality colts Linebacker and Fearless, plus unbeaten Emirate.
Given Bustling has aspirations for The Everest , he needs to win impressively or be at least in the top three to be considered any realistic chance of achieving that goal.
The Group III ATC Ming Dynasty (1400m) is all about the up and comers, colts and fillies, no stakes-winners engaged so it’s all about potential here and a look at them in the yard would be essential, Mayfair and Clear Proof the standouts on form, the first scratched from the Run to the Rose for this easier option.
Two intriguing stakes races at Flemington also to keep a good eye on with the Listed VRC Exford Plate (1400m) seeing unbeaten I Am Invincible colt Daggers step up in trip, while the Sydney trained Justify (USA) colt Dawn Service will test the form of boom filly Autumn Glow, who beat him last time.
If you are keen on Growing Empire in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes (1100m), then watch for Wonder Boy in the Exford Plate as he finished second to the son of Zoustar last start.
Growing Empire has a penalty to carry and some decent opposition with stakes-winning colts Dublin Down, Prost, Aardvark and High Octane engaged, the latter fitted with winkers and James McDonald to ride off a big trial win when he was given a wake up call to be a racehorse.
Also watch for unbeaten Written Tycoon colt First Settler and Justify (USA) colt Ndola, held in high regard by their trainers after impressive wins in easier races.
