Cover image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
The Corneges experienced great success with Pop Star Princess (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), who delivered a pair of stakes wins earlier this year, including the G3 Rotorua S. but Rose 'N' Power looks to be at another level, having won four-straight races, including the Listed Levin S. at Otaki last month.
Also part-owners in the mare after she had proven too much of a handful for her previous trainers, Rose 'N' Power now steps to Group 1 level in the famous New Year's Day sprint at her 11th start.
The Corneges recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary, but it might be another type of party should the 4-year-old put her best foot forward at Ellerslie.
Fred Cornege | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
"She's travelling good, there's no concern here. She had a bit of a gallop the other day and has been working good. We are happy enough," Fred Cornege told TDN AusNZ.
"It has been four weeks since she last raced and she has always gone well fresh. We didn’t think there was any need to change the pattern. The time frame from the Levin to Auckland didn't allow us to really find another race for her, so she was always going in fresh.
"We don’t have any great expectation, but she is not there on a whim. She's got a chance on her form and I think she deserves her chance."
"We don’t have any great expectation, but she (Rose 'N' Power) is not there on a whim. She's got a chance on her form and I think she deserves her chance." - Fred Cornege
It will be a poignant moment as well, after the recent passing of co-owner Gloria Graydon, who with Liz Pollard, bred Rose 'N' Power from a family which Pollard has had a long association with.
It goes back nearly 100 years to when Te Awamutu breeder Bill Alexander acquired a mare called Wee Rose (NZ) (Wairiki {NZ}). Alexander was the uncle of Joe Pollard, Liz Pollard, and that purchase was to spark a dynasty of 'Rose' horses, mainly bred from the family's Rosehill farm.
A host of Group 1-level winning horses have come from this family over the years, the likes of Empire Rose (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Fearless Fox (NZ) (Foxbridge {GB}), Golden Galleon (NZ) (Admiral's Luck {GB}), Rose Of Summer (NZ) (Summertime {GB}), Quite Able (NZ) (Able Seaman {GB}), Ziema (NZ) (Summertime {GB}), Minuetto (NZ) (Kazakstaan {GB}) and Haymaker (NZ) (Stunning {GB}).
Empire Rose (NZ) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
In more recent times, Pollard bred Group 3 winner Rosetti Bay (NZ) (Pins), who produced for Graydon and Pollard both the Listed winner Queen's Rose (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and the dual winner Diamond Rose (NZ) (Danroad).
Finding a Rose
Diamond Rose's first foal is Rose 'N' Power, who found her way to Corneges through a mixture of the exasperation of her former trainers and the persistence of Pollard.
"I do a bit of transport work for Liz and Gloria. This horse had been at a previous stable and proved to be pretty difficult," Cornege said.
"A couple of years ago, Liz had asked me if I wanted a filly by Power and I said I wasn't interested. At that stage, Power wasn't travelling too great so I left it at that."
Power (GB) | Standing at Oaklands Stud
"She had another crack at me and said I better take it, and they gave us a half share in her."
The Corneges only have a small team, so could afford to spend the time working on Rose 'N' Power's wayward manners.
"She's very explosive. She wouldn't buck, but she would rear and you couldn't touch her head or get a bridle on her. Quiet on the ground, not a mad horse, but just quirky," he said.
"She's (Rose 'N' Power) very explosive. She wouldn't buck, but she would rear and you couldn't touch her head or get a bridle on her." - Fred Cornege
"She was very, very difficult and there was time where she didn't have too many tomorrows but she has turned the corner and we have had some good help with her.
"She is still quirky. You have to give her a long lead at the tie ups and we have worked on handling her. She's turned the corner now, but you still wouldn't leave her with a stranger."
Queen ready for her Group 1 appointment
Cornege admits Rose 'N' Power is the undisputed queen of their stables, but it is a status she deserves based in her racetrack results.
"You can't do any more than what she has done, winning her last four. She ran a pretty decent time at Otaki the other day," he said.
Rose 'N' Power (NZ) (red cap) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Saturday's race is a big step, but it's one the much-improved mare can measure up to according to her trainer.
"In terms of Group 1 status, we’d be happy enough is she could run a place, that's a realistic expectation as we can have going forward. That adds a lot of value to her," he said.
"We’ve never had any horse anywhere near good enough to run in a Group 1 before.
"It's everyone's optimum dream to have a Group 1 winner. We are pretty proud to have one that we consider to be good enough to be in a race like that."
