With the promising colt Central Europe being held back for a later engagement, his Group One-placed stablemate Diameter is poised to lead Chris Waller’s charge in the upcoming three-year-old features at Rosehill.
Central Europe, part-owned by Coolmore, has nominations for the Golden Rose and Cox Plate but is not among the acceptors for Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (1100m) as Waller intends to manage his race starts.
Following a commendable third place first-up behind fillies Chilly Girl and Blue Door in the Rosebud (1100m), Central Europe will now target the Run To The Rose (1200m) on September 12.
“I just feel if we run him too many times, he’s not going to get to his grand finals as well as he could if we space his runs,” Waller stated.
“He goes third-up into the Golden Rose, and then he can either go up in distance to a Caulfield Guineas or back in distance to races like the Everest and the Coolmore sprint.”
Diameter was nominated for both the San Domenico and the Up And Coming Stakes (1300m), with the stable opting for the latter where he carries equal topweight of 61kg.
The colt, who won the Fernhill Handicap (1600m) as a two-year-old and achieved a Group One placing in the Champagne Stakes (1600m), is considered by Waller to be a sharper type than his juvenile form might indicate.
“He’s Group One placed over a mile, and a winner over a mile, but he’s by Brazen Beau so I think he’ll find some speed and be competitive first-up,” Waller commented.
His stablemate, Joint Venture, will also contest the Up And Coming Stakes, having earned a place in group company with a determined victory on a heavy track at Rosehill in July.
A field of eight horses has been confirmed for the San Domenico Stakes, which marks the return of Golden Slipper winner Guest House and the third-placegetter Music Time.
Guest House aims to be the first San Domenico Stakes winner since Tierce in 1991 to have previously won the Golden Slipper.
Punters can find competitive racing odds at Australian betting sites.