Golden Rose Review: Snowdens Golden Run

Snowden continued his good record in the Golden Rose
Leading trainer Peter Snowden quinellaed the G1 Golden Rose (1400m) for the second time when talented colts Epaulette and Albrecht fought out the finish of Saturday's feature...
Snowden also provided the 2008 renewal quinella with Forensics and El Cambio, but Saturday's victory re-affirmed his position as the most successful trainer in Golden Rose history having prepared four of the ten Golden Rose renewals; Paratroopers (2005), Denman (2009) and Forensics (2008). Snowden also prepared the unlucky Desuetude narrowly beaten behind Duporth in 2008, second placed El Cambio in 2008 and third placed Helmet last year.
A half brother to former "naughty boy" and Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet who finished a luckless third in last year's Golden Rose, Epaulette came with a strong finish from near the tail of the field on the home turn to just edge out his stablemate Albrecht and give rising star Tommy Berry his first Group 1 success in his short career as a jockey.
As anticipated the race was run at a solid gallop throughout with the field averaging 17.0m/s for the entire race with both sectionals run in equal splits. This meant the first 800m of the race was run a few lengths faster than the average which slightly favoured those horses that settled off the lead, enabling the first two over the line to gather in the leaders quickly in the closing stages.
Epaulette's performance was assessed to have run to a Timeform rating of 121, just 1 lb short of his narrow second to champion colt Pierro in the Todman Slipper Trial last Autumn, a figure underpinned by a solid Timefigure of 122 which was not surprising considering the way the race was run.
At that level, based on historical race standards, the 2012 renewal is at the lower end of possible values. However, given the general level of form and ratings profiles of the runners coming into the race, it is hard to justify a figure any higher.
Epaulette's 121 Timeform rating placed him about 3 lb under the five year winning Timeform rating for the race but both first and second show promise of more to come as he heads for another showdown with Pierro in the Caulfield Guineas. On the other hand Albrecht has come a long way in a short time and Snowden has already hinted he maybe spelled until the Autumn.
The jury is still out on race favourite Nechita who looked to have the race in her keeping at the 200m only to be swamped by the winner and runner-up shortly thereafter. As the race unfolded, she may not have been suited by racing closer to the lead in such a hot early tempo or she may have found the 1400m beyond her at this stage. In any case she will now go for a spell and will come back much stronger in the Autumn.
The Gai Waterhouse Kabayan will be suited by a step up in trip, and he looks like an ideal Spring Champion Stakes type. As past renewals show, the Golden Rose is a good form reference for the Spring three-year-old races something to keep in mind.
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