Broadsiding ($2.80) has bounced back to his brilliant best to claim the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on Saturday afternoon, surviving a late charge by the lone filly Aeliana ($5.50) to get the verdict in a grandstand finish.
The Godolphin colt was in search of a fourth Group 1 victory on Saturday, and the son of Too Darn Hot had to do it the hard way early, seemingly racing on the three-wide line throughout.
That was until the Bevan Laming-trained Savour The Dream ($101) surged forward to sit on the outside of Goldrush Guru ($5), allowing James McDonald to secure the one-one in the middle stages.
Aeliana was locked away on the inside running rail under Jason Collett, while Swiftfalcon () was heavily back prior to the jump, with Tyler Schiller initially taking his medicine to drift back towards the rear of the field from stall four.
It was Swiftfalcon making an early move before the turn, however, with Schiller electing to press the button at the 800m pole and put themselves in the race.
Broadsiding pulled out and surged to the top when asked for the ultimate effort at the 400m marker, while Aeliana was unable to build the revs after checking off heels in the behind the pair.
Broadsiding needed the winning post as Aeliana powered over the top late, but it was the superstar colt getting the head down where it mattered most, as Aeliana would have to settle for second in a vintage edition of the Rosehill Guineas.
James Cummings was on course to break down the win post-race.
“He’s a class colt and class carries a long way,” said Cummings.
“I suppose from the draw, he’s had to do a fair bit of work, and James (McDonald) just rode him with confidence and stuck to his plan, which was essentially to keep an open mind and not give away too much ground today on a track like this.
“But that filly, who’s been so good, and James knows well, Aliena has just laid away and done no work, they can launch at you and it takes a very good horse to hold them off.
“He’s probably not a genuine 2,000-metre horse, but he’s a brilliant horse, and he’s got up and won the Rosehill Guineas, so fair play to him. He’s probably done it the hard way, and his performance is worth reflecting on.
“So before I go and rule him out of other 2,000-metre races in the future, I think it’s worthwhile saying, so it’s a great credit to him. He’s got another Group 1 on the board. It’s very difficult to do on a warm day and these conditions, but he’s just a good horse, and it’s just so pleasing to see him get up and deliver.”
James McDonald then spoke about the tactics aboard the star colt to press forward.
“It was one of those moments where you’re doomed if you do and doomed if you don’t,” said McDonald.
“So we rolled the dice, had a crack, paid off, but like James (Cummings) said, there was no real plan, just go with the flow. At the first bend, I thought, oh no, then one worked out, I ended up with a 1-1, and it was a good win, a really good win.
“I was just thinking, glad Waller doesn’t have one in The Galaxy, because he’s a chance of winning them all, but it was nice to get the photo, the horse deserves it, he’s a really great colt, he’s done a marvellous job.
“Yeah, he’s done a marvellous job today, and yeah, proud of him, he’s run the 2,000 out, brilliant.”
Broadsiding is an $11 chance in futures markets with BlondeBet for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 12.
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