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By Ray Hickson

There’s no doubts from trainer Ciaron Maher that his Group 1 winning colt King Colorado has what it takes to win Saturday’s $1m Kia Golden Rose (1400m) but he’s not sure just yet how he’ll do it.

Ciaron Maher (Pic: Bradley Photos).

That’s because the barrier draw threw King Colorado the small curve ball of gate nine, which became eight after the scratching of Libertad, leaving Maher to ponder the best way to attack the race.

Maher, who co-trains with David Eustace, said on SEN he couldn’t be happier with how King Colorado has progressed since first-up run in the Winx Stakes and is in no rush to lock Jason Collett into any tactics.

“He came through it well, he’s trialled well since and this has been his target for quite a while,’’ he said.

“We’ll map out a bit of a plan as we get closer. I’m very happy with the horse, he looks super, he’s training on.

“It’s a bit of an awkward draw but you can’t have everything.”

The colt, $7 with TAB on Friday, finished ninth in the Winx Stakes (1400m), just under 2-1/2 lengths from Fangirl, and since then he ran down Rise Of The Masses to win a 1040m trial at Randwick on September 8.

Maher expects King Colorado, whose Group 1 win came in the JJ Atkins (1600m) in Brisbane, to benefit from the tough assignment against weight-for-age company.

“He’s had a really smooth campaign actually. His first-up run in the Winx was great, he wasn’t beaten far, the form around him is very good,’’ he said.

“It was a big field, I think he would have learnt a bit from it. He was fairly raw as a two-year-old and he’d only had the three runs before this campaign.”

Stablemate Nadal is faced with the outside alley and Maher said he may be forced to ride for luck as he did when a slashing third behind Cylinder in the Run To The Rose (1200m) two weeks ago.

He did step away slowly there so his choices were limited but it showed the stable he’s not out of place in the Group 1 as he clocked 33.15 for his last 600m (Punter’s Intelligence).

“His sectionals have just been very slick,’’ Maher said.

“His maiden win was very good and he was hardly off the bridle. His run the other day, if he just got away a little bit cleaner it probably makes the difference between winning and losing.”

Chorlton Lane returns to Sydney in the Chandon Handicap (1400m) after a narrow defeat under 60kg at Caulfield three weeks ago.

The import was an impressive winner over the Rosehill 1400m prior to that and drops 4.5kg. Maher said he has a lot of time for the four-year-old and expects him to be hard to beat.

“He was very stiff not to win last start under the weight. He’s still putting it together a little bit,’’ he said.

King Colorado's first-up run in the Winx Stakes

“Back to Sydney, he’s raced really well there and, in this class and distance range, with that weight, I think he’s got a super chance.”

Ciaron Maher on Namesake (race 4): “He’s a cool little horse, he’s very flashy. Chestnut with the blonde mane and tail. He’s developed a bit from last prep, he’ll benefit from the run but I expect him to run pretty forward.”

On Verona (race 5): “Since she’s gone to the 2400m she’s been in very good form. She probably wasn’t in a position to be able to win last start, probably just for too far back and too far off them. Her closing sectionals were very good. She’s a mare in form and it looks a nice race for her.”

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