Craig Kerry
Sydney foreman Ben Elam is looking to carry some Golden Slipper “magic” into the Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr’s twin hopes for the Doncaster Mile Prelude a week after the operation’s greatest moment.
As the Victorian team’s assistant trainer at its Rosehill satellite, Elam was a key player in Guest House’s preparation for last Saturday’s Golden Slipper success with Zac Lloyd in the saddle.
The stable will chase a spot in another elite race, next week’s $4 million Doncaster Mile, with Globe and Welwal on Saturday in the group 3 prelude at Rosehill, and both will have a connection to the Slipper win.
Like Guest House, Globe carries the colours of Roll The Dice Racing, while Welwal will have Lloyd aboard.
Welwal, a $15 TAB chance from gate four, was going to the Muswellbrook Cup on Friday before drawing poorly for the Big Dance qualifier. Elam was then quick to snap up an offer to have Lloyd on the seven-year-old at Rosehill.
“We scratched there and accepted on Saturday, then I get a call from Jeff Lloyd saying, do you want Zac for the ride?” Elam said.
“I thought, he’s had one ride for us and he’s won a Golden Slipper, so he can put his bum on that one too and wave his magic wand at it and see how we go.
“But the horse is going particularly well and he thrives on wet ground.
“He’s had next to no luck since winning in his stable debut a couple of campaigns ago in a group 3. I think from the perfect draw, he’ll be cluttered up, blinkers on and he’ll be hitting the line very strongly.”
Globe blitzed Treasurethe Moment, Buckaroo and Hezashocka to win the group 1 Might And Power Stakes in October but finished second last in his return in the Ajax Stakes two weeks ago.
Elam put the effort down to the surface and he hoped a potential soft track on Saturday would enhance his chances. Tom Sherry takes the reins from Tommy Berry on Globe, which was a $17 hope from gate 13.
“He did not appreciate a good 3,” Elam said.
“It was rated a good 4 and Tommy got off and said I had a horse who did not want to put in 100 per cent on a rock-hard track. He’s 17 hands and 590 kilos, so you can imagine the concussion that goes through his legs on the best of days.
“The track is soft and there’s some rain in the forecast, so that will be beautiful.
“We needed to kick him off somewhere, he got that out of the way, pulled up well and had a couple of quiet days on green grass. He’s come back and had two very nice pieces of work and he’ll go to the races hopefully ready to show something on rain-affected ground.”
The stable also has two chances in the group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m), although La Fracas may be a race-day scratching after drawing 16 of 17.
“He is a superior wet-track, he just floats across the surface, he’s three from three on wet ground, so we’ve got to weigh up options there,” Elam said.
“He’s drawn a difficult barrier, but his racing pattern is get back, run on. The rail is out five metres, though, so it could be hard to make ground.”
Hopes are high, though, with Miss Roumbini ($10), which resumes with gate 10 with Dylan Gibbons on.
“First-up, she goes like a bomb. It took a good one first-up last time in Magic Time to run her down,” Elam said.
“She’s a good horse … trialled well. They worked well together on the course proper and I’d say Miss Roumbini is probably the better horse.”
Elam, 28, was still on a high from Guest House’s storming finish to win the $5 million Slipper, which was a first for the stable. Elam oversaw Guest House’s early education, then his lead-up to the Slipper after his placing in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“I steer the ship up here, I’m their eyes on the ground in Sydney, and I’d like to think I’ve got a handle on everything that goes on up here, but without being given the opportunity by them, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.
“I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to set up a barn under their name. To get a result like this, it’s unbelievable. You can’t really script it.
“We wanted to be here performing every Saturday, but to get a major in year two in Sydney, it’s very exciting, and hopefully it can grow our business.”
Coolmore Australia has struck a deal to have Guest House stand at its stud after his racing career.
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