Adrian Bott has issued an ominous warning to Storm Boy’s Run To The Rose rivals, declaring the hulking colt has improved from his slashing first-up win and is expected to continue to improve as he stretches into the spring.
The high-profile three-year-old gave nothing else a chance when dominating from the front to make a clear Golden Rose statement with his San Domenico Stakes (1100m) performance last month.
He is a clear-cut $2.10 favourite to add Saturday’s The Run To The Rose (1200m) to his record, although he does face a tougher field headlined by Todman Stakes winner Switzerland, former West Australian Bustling and Godolphin’s Traffic Warden.
Given Storm Boy’s thick frame, Bott says the three-year-old will strip fitter and appreciate a slight distance rise.
“I’d like to think he is still open to further improvement off that and better suited each time that we see him step out this preparation,” Bott said.
“I’m liking the 1200-metre set-up for him and that additional fitness he’s been able to take from racing, which he thrives on and improves on.
“He’s had a good couple of weeks and he’s in great shape. He was very explosive last time, which was encouraging to see.”
Storm Boy will also have a fitness advantage over all but one of his rivals.
The rest of the field, with the exception of Victorian raider Tropicus, is tackling The Run To The Rose first-up and Bott believes that will present another edge
“That was the view we took with running him in the San Domenico,” he said.
“We wanted to have the benefit of getting that extra run into him, not just for here but particularly for the big picture of the Golden Rose. I think that gives him the right foundation for that.
“I do think it’s of benefit for him to have had the run.”
Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse will also get Anode’s preparation under way in The Run To The Rose, keen to gauge how the multiple stakes placegetter measures up against the top colts and geldings.
“He has come back well and we’re using Saturday as a nice race to kick him off in to benchmark him against that class and grade of horse,” Bott said.
Mayfair was scratched on Wednesday in favour of contesting the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) on the same program.