Racing: Waterhouse ready to pick Golden Rose

Gai Waterhouse. Photo / Herald on Sunday

SYDNEY - Squamosa stamped himself as a genuine contender for next month's Golden Rose with another dominant victory at Randwick on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained colt made it two wins from as many starts and Sydney's premier rider Nash Rawiller believes the A$1 million Group One on August 28 is within his capabilities, particularly on a wet track.

"He's a lovely horse and looking at the Golden Rose, if we get there and it's a wet track then he's the one you'd want to be on," Rawiller said.

Squamosa, who started the $1.65 favourite on Saturday, began brilliantly to lead early in the Schweppes Handicap (1400m) before Syntonic moved around to take up the running.

Rawiller peeled Squamosa to the outside of the leader midrace and when he asked the colt to extend at the 300m mark he exploded away to defeat Giresun ($6) by three lengths.

Adding to the merit of the performance was the 3-length margin from Giresun back to Beg ($6.50) in third place.

Waterhouse has an enviable team on the Golden Rose path with the likes of Brightexpectations, More Strawberries, Crossbow, Dal Dal and unraced colts Mutamayez and Memorable Moment being considered for the first feature of the new season.

Squamosa did a few things wrong early in the race on Saturday but Waterhouse said that once he got to the outside of the leader the race was all over.

"Nash just sat there on him like a periwinkle and then got outside the leader and it was just click, click, click - how far do I win by?" Waterhouse said.

"The horse of Peter Snowden's [Giresun] was impressive running second, but this is a very impressive colt. A really good horse in the making."

Rawiller said Squamosa, who was also a dominant winner on a wet Kensington track on debut earlier in the month, still appeared to have more up his sleeve.

"He towed me to the front today," Rawiller said on Saturday. "He's just doing what he has to do. It's all a bit of a game to him at the moment."

While Squamosa's performance was outstanding, the effort of Giresun was also encouraging and jockey Josh Parr believes he'll be even better on a firmer track.

"He went terrific, you haven't seen the best of him yet," Parr said.

"The race wasn't run to suit and the winner is a swimmer."

Earlier, David Payne watched sprinter Winter King race to a dominant first-up win before declaring the rising 4-year-old had made the necessary improvement to now go on and win better races.

Winter King ($1.85 fav) posted his sixth career victory from 16 starts in the Win A Yaris Handicap (1000m), with Nash Rawiller tightening his grip on a first jockeys' premiership after partnering the gelding to his 2-length win.

Queensland visitor Sarge In Charge ($8) ran on from last to finish second, while Geared Up ($7) was half a head further back in third place.

Payne said Winter King, who was gelded during his spell, had settled down a lot which could help him fulfil his potential this preparation.

Winter King has been tried four times in stakes company in the past with his best result being a second to Real Saga in the Breeders' Plate at Randwick on debut in October 2008.

The Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 14 is the likely next option for Winter King.

"I think he has come back better than ever," Payne said on Saturday.

"He's only three, turning four and since he's been gelded he's more settled.

"You could see that today in the parade ring, he wasn't sweating at all.

"I think there might be a couple of good races in him."

Rawiller was concerned when Winter King began awkwardly but the son of One Cool Cat gathered momentum early to sit just off the leader Eripsni.

He moved up ominously topping the rise in the straight and from there the result was never in doubt.

"He didn't begin very well, he was standing a little awkwardly," Rawiller said. "He slipped back a bit further than I would have liked and I had to ride him a touch quieter than expected but he travelled well and gave a good kick at the finish."

- AAP