Weekend racing with Iain Hyndman

Royally-bred and aptly-named The Chosen One puts unbeaten record on the line at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo / Race Images

Iain Hyndman's Riccarton Tips
1: Residential, Chic, Sanasar
2: Wide Awake, Blue Lagoon, Shezatoucha
3: Hunter Villian, Du'blues, Super Girl
4: Whatwedo, Barabas, Ottavio
5: Livin' On A Prayer, Sensei, Morse Code
6: Torro Del Greco, Parvino, Clara
7: Madison County, The Chosen One, Sir Nate
8: Casual Winks, Albut Me, So Brazen
9: Felaar, Swing Note, Mental Telepathy
10: Unfazed, Summer Monsoon, Irish Flame
Best Bet: Wide Awake (R2)
Longshot: Duplicity (R9)

The Dennis brothers have stepped into new territory in their bid to complete the double in the Gr.1 three-year-old classics at Riccarton on Saturday.

Tony, Joe, Ray and Martin Dennis, recipients of the 2016 Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand Racing Award, won the 2002 Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) as owners and breeders with The Jewel and this weekend they will be looking to add the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) to their trophy cabinet with the unbeaten The Chosen One, a grandson of The Jewel.

This time, however, there is a bigger group racing The Chosen One, a son of Savabeel and the successful Flying Spur mare The Glitzy One, who won eight races from 1400m to 2500m.

"It's the first time we've put a syndicate of our own together," Tony Dennis said. "We usually just race them ourselves.

"We tried to sell him at Karaka as a yearling and we put a $150,000 reserve on him, but he got to $130,000.

"I asked Murray Baker whether he'd train him and he said he'd love to, after having trained The Phantom from the same family all those years ago."

The Chosen One was placed in one of his four trials before he scored an eye-catching debut win over 1400m at Waverley early last month and was then put to the 2000 Guineas' test in the Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton 23 days later and passed with flying colours, winning by two and a quarter-lengths.

On the strength of that Riccarton performance he has emerged as a strong chance to give the Baker – Andrew Forsman stable its third win in the 2000 Guineas, following on from Turn Me Loose in 2014 and Atlante a year later.

The Chosen One came under offer after the Zacinto Stakes, but the syndicate has elected not to sell the smart youngster for now.

"But the offers could become too much if he happens to win the 2000 Guineas," Dennis said.

"He's quite a promising horse and will still be better in the autumn." - NZ Racing Desk