The $600,000 first prize is only a fraction of what could be on offer for the winner of Saturday’s Golden Rose.
Of the 17 horses in the field, one – Pitcrew – is a gelding, the other 16 are colts with the chance to multiply their future value in less than 90 seconds.
Anthony Cummings has two runners – Cluster and Drago – and believes the Group One race over 1400 metres has supplanted the Caulfield Guineas as a stallion maker.
“The Golden Rose points to precocity, soundness and speed,” Cummings said.
“If you are going to be a stallion they are the three elements you absolutely have to have.
“That’s what works for the Golden Slipper and this race.
“The Golden Rose has overtaken the Caulfield Guineas as a stallion-making race.
“It is a division in the road. Some go to the Spring Champion Stakes over 2000 metres, others go to different distances.
“Everyone used to take aim at the Guineas for what it was. Now they take aim at this race.
“We’ve got Melbourne horses coming which never used to happen.
“You’re getting horses aimed at a million-dollar race before they divide and go on to other races.”
Cummings won the Golden Rose with Duporth when it was a Group Two race. Duporth has gone on to stand at Kitchwin Hills while another Cummings-trained colt Smart Missile, a luckless second in 2011, is at Arrowfield.
Cluster is by Smart Missile’s sire Fastnet Rock, while Drago is by Danehill Dancer, a champion sire in two hemispheres.
Raced by Peter and Wendy Moran who also owned Duporth, Cluster wasn’t assured of a start until it became known a few days ago the race could cope with a maximum 18 starters.
That was a relief to his trainer and also punters who have backed him from $201 to $8.
Drago was a $13 chance on Friday with Fast `N’ Rocking pressing fellow Melbourne colt Prince Harada for favouritism.
The Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and Victoria Derby (2500m) are goals for Drago while Cluster could head to the Caulfield Guineas.
“Both are horses with a lot of quality,” Cummings said.
“They both have the demeanour to be successful on and off the track.”