Court Command Another Feather in Golden Rose's Cap

Sunday, 06 September 0303 00:00

Court Command's bid for the mantle of Sydney's most gifted thee-year-old gained further credence on Saturday when the emerging superstar scored a demoralising victory in the $1million G3 Tooheys New Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

"I didn't know he was this good but now I do," exclaimed his delighted trainer Darren Smith.

The strapping bay colt, which annihilated most of Saturday's rivals by four lengths in the G3 Up and Coming Stakes last weekend, was at his unfettered best leading throughout for a 2 ¼ lengths win in a brilliant display of sustained speed which is quickly establishing itself as his trademark.

The Bart Cummings trained Empires Choice ran on strongly for second whilst race favourite Mentality worked home solidly for third. The performance of Excites should also be noted storming home for fifth after being inconvenienced approaching the turn.

"He is a pretty special horse to do this on the back of last week's win," Smith said of his latest stable star.

"I think we press on to the Caulfield Guineas now that's our main aim but we will let the horse tell us."

The G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14 looked to be at the mercy of Melbourne's elite three-year-olds such as Haradasun, Miss Finland and Sharkbite, but the emergence of Court Command as a genuine contender means the three-year-old spring feature is shaping as an encounter of an epic scale.

And speaking of group one's it seems only a matter of time until the Golden Rose is granted such status.

In its brief but influential history the Golden Rose has entrenched itself as a race that produces the champions of tomorrow with the likes of Racing To Win, Paratroopers, and God's Own among its list of notable graduates. Even its predecessor, the Peter Pan Stakes, was integral in launching the careers of many a class thoroughbred among which included Kingston Town, Best Western, Sir Dapper, March Hare, Brave Warrior, Flying Spur and Magic Albert.

The Golden Rose has also played a major role in the development of Court Command's sire Commands' stud career which is on the ascent in a big way.

Woodlands' prolific sire of winners has also recently added Paratroopers, Imprisoned and With A Chance to his growing list of stakes winners.

To give an example of Commands' emerging presence on the stallion landscape, last season he finished a career-best seventh on the Australian General Sires list with earnings of $5,614,987. This is some accomplishment when you consider that the only sires placed above him were industry heavyweights Redoute's Choice, Encosta de Lago, Zabeel, Desert King (Makybe Diva as flag-bearer), Danehill and Flying Spur.

As stated above Commands also sired the winner of last year's Golden Rose in Paratroopers, Crown Lodge's ultra-professional grey which has gone on to establish himself as one of the finest equine athletes in the country.

Paratrooper's also contested last year's Caulfield Guineas but fell agonisingly short when gunned down right on the line in a freakish performance by the Bart Cummings trained God's Own.

However we have since discovered that the Woodlands four-year-old is suspect over the mile journey, a distance that holds no fears though for Court Command's jockey Daryl McLellan who insists that the Newcastle trained youngster will rise to another level.

"When he gets to a mile he will go even better, because he rolls along in front but feels like he's cantering and he just finds when you ask him," he stated confidently.

"He has the ability to run amazing sectionals and only the really good ones can do that."

"When we get serious with him we are really going to let them have it," he said ominously.

"He's only going to get better and who knows where he'll stop."

From the Zoffany mare Court House Lane Court Command was a $120,000 Inglis Classic Sale purchase.

PIC - Sportpix.