Despite experiencing a late drift in the odds with online bookmakers, Cylinder, trained by James Cummings, demonstrated his class in the Group 2 Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.
While his performance in the Group 3 Vain Stakes on August 19 may have left some wanting more, the Godolphin colt, ridden by Nash Rawiller, bought up a second straight win, even after encountering some challenges during the race.
Cylinder faced a crowded field and almost didn't find a clear path when the race heated up in the straight.
However, Nash Rawiller's composed ride proved pivotal as a gap finally opened up with 200 metres to go. This allowed Cylinder the opportunity to gather momentum and secure victory by a head at the finish line.
Moravia (+1300) took the lead and held onto second place, while Nadal (+900) and Butch Cassidy (+750) mounted challenges in the closing stages.
But Cylinder managed to fend them off, securing back-to-back wins this preparation and setting his sights on Group 1 competition in his next outing.
2023 Group 2 Run To The Rose – Cylinder
James Cummings spoke highly of the colt, saying,
“He's a crack colting… Perhaps it was the run of a horse who shouldn't have won today, and yet he managed to find a way to do it, and that's the mark of an exceptional horse.”
Cummings hinted at the Golden Rose as the next target for Cylinder, confident that the colt can handle the seven furlongs.
Nash Rawiller shared his perspective on the race and the challenges he faced, emphasizing the importance of not putting the horse in a compromising position.
“I didn't have a lot of options; he was where he was,” said Rawiller.
“From where he was, I just had to make sure he traveled right.”
With this impressive victory, Cylinder is now the clear favourite at +300 with online bookmakers for the Group 1 Golden Rose, scheduled for September 23.