Dynamic Syndications YARDSTICK (3yo colt Criterion x Exceleine) has accepted and will race in Saturday’s
Gr1 Golden Rose 3yo 1400m at Rosehill.
YARDSTICK
He is number 9 and drawn barrier 7 with
Tim Clark aboard.
Whilst our team are under no illusions as to the monumental task facing
Yardstick, our
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained colt is fit and well and capable of making his presence known against the best sprinting 3yo’s in Australia.
Whilst our ratings have boom 3yo
Rothfire clearly head and shoulders above all his peers, and priced at an unbackable odds-on quote, there doesn’t appear to be much between the other 8 contenders for an expected track rating of Good 4 based upon ratings, weights and measures.
Racing is a
sport as much as it is a
business and who knows what may transpire on the day.
You can’t win it sitting in his stable box whilst the race is being run.
He can only run in the Golden Rose
once in his life, and with
$1 million on offer to be distributed among the contestants, and the enormous value in the
Black-Type on offer for stud careers, he deserves his place in the field.
Racing is about dreams.
We simply can’t be happier with Yardstick going into this test. We are delighted with our horse.
Whilst on exposed form we may appear to be outclassed against several of these top colts, especially under the Benchmark rating system, one thing is for sure, he has the big
X-Factor of the
Waterhouse and Bott “Bone and Muscle” training foundation and he is now fourth up into this race.
We were unsure earlier in the preparation if he was looking towards the Gloaming / Spring Champion route or would a mile see him out? As a Spring 3yo, we believe seven furlongs looks ideal.
Yardstick won on debut at Canterbury over 1100m then found the 1300m of the Up and Coming on a bottomless Heavy track at Randwick not to his liking. He was too inexperienced that day at just his second race start to have the confidence stretch out in the mud. Whilst he finished 5th of 8, he was only 1.5 lengths from the runner-up.
Mo'Unga winning the Dulcify LR with Yardstick close-up
Then he headed into the 1500m Dulcify LR. That day he jumped quickly but again, inexperience cost him, as he ran his first 3 sectionals (600m) very quickly, over racing and fighting Nash Rawiller using valuable energy. That certainly was his downfall. We knew he was not wound right up and the fast tempo he set, left him vulnerable late in the race. He was only beaten 2 lengths when 5th to boom colt Mo’Unga after setting a fast pace but was only 0.5 length from the runner-up and the field walked home that day in a slow 35.29 secs which certainly flattered the swoopers.
On Saturday, he
drops back 100m in trip which
suits perfectly, and he is now at his
peak fitness condition for the race.
Tim Clark who is one of the best riders at judging early tempo is booked to ride.
After barrier draws came out on Tuesday morning, it was an interesting result because the other noted go forward horse, being odds-on favourite Rothfire is drawn outside us in barrier 8.
Peltzer has also been known to roll forward and he drew barrier 2, so it will be interesting to see if those connections want to lead on the fence or take a sit, especially since Peltzer is trying to get 1400m for the first time. Tactics will be fascinating, and one thing is for sure,
they never run Gr1 races slowly, so expect a quick tempo from the outset and
survival of the fittest.
This is where we are anticipating our colt will fight to the line. Several of the field have not been tested at 1300m or beyond, so under the expected tempo of the race at 1400m, several may feel the pinch with 100m to run.
Team Dynamic had YAO DASH in the race last year, where he finished a creditable
4th to Bivouac, Yes Yes Yes and Exceedance.
YAO DASH
We are hopeful that
Yardstick may follow similar progression and finish strongly to be in the mix.
We wish our owners the best of fortune and that they enjoy the experience of having a runner in this pinnacle Gr1 race for the 3yo’s.
YARDSTICK is owned by: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Newgate S F, Hollymount Stud, Winstar Farm Llc, L Caminiti, A Mitchell, S J Hodder, S McKenzie, G Downard, C L Przibella, A J Luciano, D P Lacey, J M De Zylva, C Matheson, M K Bates, L A Lindsell, E J Le, Dynamic no. 97, Dynamic No. 98 & Go Bloodstock Australia.
2020 $1m GOLDEN ROSE Gr1 1400m Field:
1 ROTHFIRE R Heathcote Jim Byrne 8 56.5kg
2 KING’S LEGACY P & P Snowden Hugh Bowman 9 56.5kg
3 MAMARAGAN J Thompson Nash Rawiller 1 56.5kg
4 OLE KIRK M, W & J Hawkes Tommy Berry 3 56.5kg
5 NORTH PACIFIC M, W & J Hawkes James McDonald 6 56.5kg
6 GLOBAL QUEST C Waller Brenton Avdulla 4 56.5kg
7 PELTZER Ryan & Alexiou Kerrin McEvoy 2 56.5kg
8 SAUVESTRE C Waller Glen Boss 5 56.5kg
9 YARDSTICK Waterhouse & Bott Tim Clark 7 56.5kg
Past 10 Years Golden Rose Results:
2019 1 minute 21.88 seconds
1st Bivouac
2nd Yes Yes Yes
3rd Exceedance
2018 1 minute 22.24 seconds
1st The Autumn Sun
2nd Zousain
3rd Graff
2017 1 minute 22.41 seconds
1st Trapeze Artist
2nd Champagne Cuddles
3rd Menari
2016 1 minute 23.9 seconds
1st Astern
2nd Omei Sword
3rd Impending
2015 1 minute 21.83 seconds
1st Exosphere
2nd Speak Fondly
3rd Sebring Sun
2014 1 minute 24.0 seconds
1st Hallowed Crown
2nd Scissor Kick
3rd Shooting To Win
2013 1 minute 22.51 seconds
1st Zoustar
2nd Dissident
3rd Bull Point
2012 1 minute 22.3 seconds
1st Epaulette
2nd Albrecht
3rd Ashokan
2011 1 minute 23.32 seconds
1st Manawanui
2nd Smart Missile
3rd Helmet
2010 1 minute 21.9 seconds
1st Toorak Toff
2nd Squamosa
3rd Ilovethiscity
2009 1 minute 22.8 seconds
1st Denman
2nd Trusting
3rd Stryker