Stud career up for grabs in stallion-making Coolmore

Godolphin’s stables will be close to empty on Saturday when they unveil a star-studded assault on Flemington, with 14 runners across the nine-race Derby Day card, half of those in the four group 1s.

Alegron and Character tackle the Derby, but it’s in the Coolmore where one of their three colts has the chance to become a $20 million stallion.

Coolmore Stud Stakes contender Paulele.Credit:Getty

Paulele brings the right form. A last-start winner in the group 2 Roman Consul, he’s won five of his nine races and finished no worse than second this preparation, behind horses such as In The Congo and Home Affairs who he meets again on Saturday.

“The horse is flying, he’s done nothing wrong,” trainer James Cummings said.

But so too are his stablemates. Ingratiating returned to form with a placing in the group 1 Manikato Stakes against the open-age horses last Friday night, while Kallos is a last-start winner of the Danehill.

“Any colt that wins this race has a bright future as a stallion prospect. This is just about going to be the race of the carnival,” Cummings said.

“Essentially, this is the [group 1] Golden Slipper for the spring three-year-olds.

“These three colts have different form lines, but all three have credentials to be worthy victors.”

Colette steps into a hot Empire Rose field second-up following her third-up win in lesser grade over 1400 metres.

Champion jockey Damien Oliver, who partners Paulele, will also ride Colette.

Empire Rose contender Colette.Credit:Getty Images

“She’s going super. She’s got ratings in very similar races, and we think she’s ready to advance,” Cummings said.

“From that draw she will be spotting them a few lengths, but she’s got that foundation to be nice and fit for the mile at Flemington.

“She is going well enough to be highly competitive and Damien was adamant to get back involved with her in the Empire Rose and was very bullish about her chances.”

In the Cantala, Cascadian finds himself in another high-class handicap mile. Last year, he ran second in this race to Yulong Prince, before winning the Doncaster Handicap in the autumn. He comes out of the Epsom Handicap last start where he ran fourth.

Sydney star James McDonald takes the ride.

Meanwhile, Kementari has been scratched from Melbourne to run at Rosehill alongside his stablemate Trekking in the 1300-metre Classique Legend Stakes.

“It’s a high-pressure race, a good race but I think both our horses should run very well,” Cummings said.

“Kementari is flying. He’s backing up good training and good looks with good runs.

“He won a time-honoured race first-up in the Gilgai. He struck the front at the 50 metres, he didn’t just get there.”

Meanwhile, Cummings was happy with Trekking’s run in The Everest.

“Trekking comes out of the right race. He’s a tough customer, he was warming to the task well,” he said.

“He was an unlucky third in the Moir. He defeated the quinella from the Moir in The Everest by many lengths, so there’s no doubt the horse is going well.

“We’d like to think he can bring that form to the Classique Legend and be well-suited stepping slightly up in distance.”

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