Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Guest House chases more Group 1 glory in The Golden Rose
The excitement machine Guest House (Home Affairs) was a star as a 2-year-old, winning the G1 Golden Slipper. When he resumed at three with a track record in the G3 San Domenico Stakes, his name naturally went straight to the top of the market for the stallion-making G1 Golden Rose Stakes.
From there, trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have stayed away from the more traditional path of stepping up to the G2 Run To The Rose and have decided to go straight into the big one second-up as the boom colt attempts to become the first colt to do the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Golden Rose double.
Kent Jnr believes it is the right call, with the imposing colt ready to rumble.
Guest House | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“We’re going to find out on Saturday if it was the right decision but at this point I’m very glad we’ve gone straight in,’’ Michael Kent Jnr told RacingNSW.
“The horse hasn’t missed any work, he’s in beautiful order and will present immaculately in the yard.
“He’s a very good colt with a huge capacity for work and racing and I think you’ll see a very good performance on Saturday.
“He’s (Guest House) a very good colt with a huge capacity for work and racing and I think you’ll see a very good performance on Saturday.” - Michael Kent Jnr
“He’s going to have to be very good and on his A game but I think we’ve got him cherry ripe.”
Kent Jnr went on to say the colt was nice and hard fit when breaking the track record in the San Domenico and didn’t need an extra run going into this race.
“The way he ran first-up he was clearly quite forward to break a track record,’’ Kent Jnr said.
Michael Kent Jnr | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We didn’t feel the need for the run in between, the horse was already there fitness wise. I think he is something special and if he could win a Golden Rose, it would be massive for him and his profile.
“Personally, I think if he runs to his best and gets 1400m he’s clearly the one to beat.”
“Personally, I think if he runs to his best and gets 1400m he’s clearly the one to beat.” - Michael Kent Jnr
The son of Home Affairs does look the one to beat, and the hardest for him to contend with could be fellow Coolmore part-owned St Gotthard (Snitzel), who was brilliant resuming behind Warwoven (Sword Of State), another great chance in the G2 Run To The Rose.
Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}) could be the smoky, or at least put his name down as one to watch in one of the feature mile or 2000-metre races coming up.
Skyhook set to land another uppercut in the Shannon
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook (Written Tycoon) has always been a talented type, winning three Group 3 races and the G2 Theo Marks Stakes at his last start.
That win in the Theo Marks, resuming as a 4-year-old, was brilliant, with McEvoy quickly manoeuvring him to a great spot from the widest draw before dominating throughout and showing he is back bigger and better.
He now takes aim at the G2 Shannon Stakes over 1500 metres and looks extremely hard to beat with McEvoy back aboard, this time from a much softer barrier draw.
Skyhook | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I think he’s really blossomed into a more complete package now,’’ McEvoy told RacingNSW
“He was quite good as a 2-year-old and he’s kept progressing, he’s strengthened up now and grown into a strong horse.
“That first-up win was very pleasing, his trials showed he was in good form and I think he has matured a bit more, so it was a nice way to start his spring campaign.
“He’s got some hard tasks ahead but why not have a crack at them. It’ll be nice to see how he measures up against better opposition again.”
Kerrin McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s got a kinder barrier, he’s a horse that is a tiny bit versatile and I think he’s a big actioned horse who can sit close to the speed or on the speed,” he said.
“He’s (Skyhook) got a kinder barrier, he’s a horse that is a tiny bit versatile and I think he’s a big actioned horse who can sit close to the speed or on the speed.” - Kerrin McEvoy
“Or he can make the speed which is what he’s shown in the past. That’s always a good asset to have underneath you.”
The opposition that Skyhook has to contend with includes the tough 9-year-old Private Eye (Al Maher), while Sovereign Hill (Written Tycoon) could be a sneaky chance with a light weight and New Endeavour (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) could be another to watch resuming.
Giga Kick set to bounce back in the Manikato
It would be no surprise on Sunday at Caulfield if the evergreen sprinter Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) can feature in the G1 Manikato Stakes on the back of a tenth placing first-up in the G1 Moir Stakes over the less suitable 1000 metres behind My Gladiola (I Am Invincible).
Trainer Clayton Douglas believes the setup of the race suits and that his fresh-up run was very much a forgive, considering the way the race was run and where the son of Scissor Kick settled in the field.
Giga Kick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It was mathematically impossible to sort of get into the race,” Douglas said on The Verdict.
“They ran pretty slick time from the front.”
Douglas believes the step up to 1200 metres will be of big benefit and that the gelding has improved fitness-wise from his run at Sandown.
“He definitely has taken nice improvement,” Douglas said.
“He had two fairly in-hand trials leading into his thousand-metre run, so he’s now had the hit-out.
“He’s had a couple of good pieces of work and three weeks between his first and second-up run seems to be perfect for him.”
Clayton Douglas | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Douglas has also noticed a physical change since the Moir.
“Just natural improvement,” he said.
“Even to look at, he looks like he’s tightened up well and he’s moving very well.
“Just natural improvement, Even to look at, he (Giga Kick) looks like he’s tightened up well and he’s moving very well.” - Clayton Douglas
“I was very happy when I saw the barrier. I thought that really gives him a really good chance to get into a nice spot. “I think that’ll be key on Sunday.”
It looks a very competitive and even running of the G1 Manikato Stakes.
My Gladiola comes into the race having won the G1 Moir Stakes last time out, Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) has to be respected after an uncharacteristic failure last time out, while Beiwacht (Bivouac) is trying his luck again at 1200 metres.
If he is able to dictate or sit on speed, he could be dangerous.
Maher’s two-strong attack on the Feehan
The 2026 edition of the G2 Feehan Stakes may have only a small field, but there is no disputing the quality of the select line-up, with the champion Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) taking on the front-running star Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai), while Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) also takes her place among the highlights.
For champion trainer Ciaron Maher, he trains two of the six runners, with Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) joining the star mare Pride Of Jenni, who he believes is in fine form.
Pride Of Jenni | Image courtesy of Inglis
"She's come up really well," Maher told Racingandsports.
"Her weight is good. She wintered well and she was in great form, and we saw that form carry through on Saturday with Birdman winning.
"She looks like she's improved, and it would be good if she could improve that much again.
"All her mannerisms are still there, and she seems to be in good form, so I'm looking forward to lining her up on Sunday," Maher said.
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Another Wil may have been away from the winners list since winning the G1 CF Orr Stakes at the start of last year, but he was very good last time out, running third in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes behind the freakishly talented Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun).
"He was super the other day," Maher said.
"At the top of the straight, he looked like he had a lap full of horse, and he ran the race out very well.
"He was unlucky in an All-Star Mile, and it looks like he's got back to that form, but the trick will be whether he can be consistent this prep, but he certainly came through it well.
"We have the option of whether we go out to the 10 furlongs (2000m) or not and I've always wanted to take him out to the 10 furlongs.
Another Wil | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
"His (half) brother (Wil John) won a Grand National and a Jericho Cup over 4600 (metres), so you would think an extra two furlongs (400m) wouldn't worry him.
"He's been in and out of form, so it's great to have him back."
With the two runners, Maher definitely has a strong hand, but Mr Brightside has to be respected at the distance where he has won 12 times.
Treasurethe Moment may have disappointed last time, but it would be no surprise to see her winning, while Zambardo (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) is a Group 1 performer over 2000 metres and may be strongest late.
Brave Monarch needs to be brave with top weight in the Weetwood
There is no doubt that the class factor of the 2026 running of the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba on Saturday is the G2 Queensland Guineas winner Brave Monarch (Brave Smash {Jpn}).
As a result of being the only horse in the race rated over 100, he has to lump 60kg in the feature, which will prove no mean feat.
Add to that the fact the gelding has also drawn 15 of 15 runners after one scratching and it looks a monumental task, but he looks up to it.
Brave Monarch | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Co-trainer Corey Munce commented that this local target is one step towards bigger aims down south.
"It's always been his target first-up run before we head south," Munce told racenet.com
"We haven't been given a nice barrier, but we've got to play the cards we've been dealt unfortunately. It wasn't the greatest of feelings, but it was no surprise," Munce said about the bad draw.
"On top of that, he's also got the weight of 60 kilos and without putting a dampener on it, I don't think there's been a topweight winner for a long time.
"He's got to handle the track too, so he's got a few things against him, but (jockey) Martin (Harley) goes there with plenty of confidence and was very happy with his final gallop on Tuesday."
Corey Munce | Image courtesy of Munce Racing
In fact, it has been 31 years since a horse carried 60kg to win the famous race, when Seawinne (Sea Road) was victorious, one of her 16 career victories.
The hardest for the son of Brave Smash (Jpn) to beat could prove to be Let’sfacethemusic (I Am Invincible), who was a good winner at Doomben last month.
Millane (Zoustar) looks a good lightweight chance and was a winner earlier this month, while the knockout hope could be Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach {USA}), who is a classy campaigner but will need some luck from a wide draw.
