McDonald confidence puts Central Europe on Rosebud path

Chris Waller’s hopes of drawing first blood in Sydney’s three-year-old features could rest on the shoulders of Central Europe with his two other Rosebud contenders in doubt to line up.

Topweight Hidrix is favoured to be saved for the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) in two weeks after drawing barrier 17, while Perth filly Striking Alibi could be kept for the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) next week after landing gate 12.

“We were probably only going to run (Hidrix) if he drew perfectly, just because of the weight,” Waller’s assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth said.

“Striking Alibi has been really sharp in all of her work since coming to us. She has been pretty pushbutton in terms of she has settled in well and done everything right.

“Just the draw might mean she could wait and go against the fillies next week instead.”

There are no such reservations over kicking off Central Europe’s three-year-old season after he came up with barrier seven.

The Frankel colt has shown above-average ability to place at his only two starts, both in Group company, including a narrow defeat at the hands of stablemate and subsequent ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia in the Skyline Stakes (1200m) in February.

While he is expected to relish further than the 1100m of the Rosebud, the stable has been buoyed by the confidence of champion jockey James McDonald, who’s convinced them to go to the Listed sprint rather than a support race on the program.

“We had him nominated in the 1300 as well but James was confident off his trials and trackwork that 1100 was fine. He’s been sharper than he was last time in, so that’s a positive,” Duckworth said.

“He’s a beautiful colt, incredibly well bred. We’ll learn a bit more on Saturday.”

Providing he performs in his early races, Central Europe is on a Golden Rose path and shares the fourth line of betting for the Group 1 at $11.

There have been four early scratchings from the Rosebud – Tornado Valley, Outspan, Oh Yes She Did and Scintillation – with all expected to line up in stakes races at Caulfield instead.