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By Ray Hickson

Trainer James Cummings is adamant Godolphin’s headline colt Cylinder has had the perfect build up to Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Kia Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill and if he’s beaten it won’t be because of any stone being left unturned.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Unbeaten in two runs as a three-year-old, Cylinder is in line to emulate fellow Godolphin colts Exosphere (2015), Astern (2016) and Bivouac (2019) and claim the Run To The Rose-Golden Rose double.

If he does, will a TAB Everest slot come his way?

Cummings is focused on the race at hand for now and said he wouldn’t change anything about Cylinder’s preparation for the stallion making race where he faces off with his Golden Slipper conqueror Shinzo.

“That horse is feeling great, Cylinder, he’s absolutely spot on,’’ Cummings said on Sky Sports Radio.

“He arrives in the Golden Rose third-up so I’m quite pleased with the grounding that he’s enjoyed.

“Cylinder was our standout two-year-old last season and we’re just delighted that he’s trained on.

“He’s a different looking animal than when he was racing in March and his form is now just about reflecting it. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet this prep.”

While two from two this spring, Cylinder is not a commanding favourite for the Golden Rose, he was $4.40 with TAB on Thursday, due to the fact both his Vain Stakes win first-up and Run To The Rose were by narrow margins.

Cummings said Cylinder was “fatter than a pig in mud” at Caulfield but managed to get away with it and was it plain to see in the Run To The Rose that the colt was badly held up for runs until inside the last 200m.

So it’s no surprise that Cylinder clocked a race best 10.85 for his last 200m (Punter’s Intelligence).

The fact he was able to overcome that traffic tells Cummings he’s going better than the margins will lead you to believe. From barrier six he feels Nash Rawiller will be afforded options and is confident 1400m is within his reach.

“To overcome getting out with 110m to go and sprint to the line and get up and win is not only proof the acceleration that horse has got but it’s ensured he has a nice and significant amount of stored energy going into the Golden Rose,’’ he said.

“I think there’s every chance it is going to work out in Cylinder’s favour this time.

“The draw is one thing but it’s how they jump around him and the intentions of others that can often determine your fate. Cylinder has great history of gate speed and the capacity to relax for his riders when required.”

Stayer Alegron is on notice to find his best form in the Group 3 $250,000 James Squire Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) given it’s now a year since he last won a race or filled a placing.

That said Cummings is giving the five-year-old the benefit of the doubt for his fair effort in the Newcastle Cup, where he ran tenth, given he was basically pulled out of the Wyong Cup second-up.

“The run at Newcastle was at best the sign of a horse warming up late,’’ he said.

“Perhaps he was no better than second-up having got nothing out of the Wyong Cup.

“I’ve thrown him into this race on the quick back up, I’m looking to see more from the horse and I’m not the only one.”

Cylinder wins the Run To The Rose

James Cummings On Marquess (race 3): “He put four in a row on the board before he went down narrowly to Howgoodareyou over 1800m. Marquess is going to meet Howgoodareyou far better at the weights this time. Hopefully as a horse he’s on the way to being one of our more promising stayers coming through the grades."

On Stanislaus (race 4): “If we elect to go there he could run a cheeky race. He wouldn’t be that far behind a horse of ours like Fleetwood, and Fleetwood ran a decent third to Ozzmosis and Royal Tribute in June. But he’s going to have to run the race of his life to threaten.”

On Barber (race 4): “We’ve unfortunately drawn the barrier we’ve drawn so, on paper, it doesn’t look like a straightforward ride for Barber but of all the horses we’ve been training for a few weeks in a row Barber’s been throwing up the slickest sectionals of the lot of them and perhaps that’s a sign he’s bursting to get to the races and run a good race. With his fresh record and the form behind him from early last prep, I think he’s a pretty interesting runner.”

On Pereille (race 9): “If he can run the seven furlongs right out he would certainly be one of the horses in the race with the turn of foot required to get up and win. If he’s ridden quiet from the draw you’d want to be seeing horses flood home down the outside.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting