Traffic Warden has upstaged some of Sydney’s highest-profile colts to land an outstanding first-up win in The Run To The Rose, giving Godolphin its fourth successive victory in the Golden Rose lead-up.
Trainer James Cummings confirmed the three-year-old would join stablemate Broadsiding in the Group 1 before a decision was made on whether to bring him back in distance for a race like The Everest (1200m) or head to a Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
But on Saturday at Rosehill, Cummings was content to bask in Traffic’s Warden’s ($8) Run To The Rose (1200m) success after he overpowered Anode ($17) by a short neck with Storm Boy ($1.90 fav) three-quarters of a length away third, the latter having to expend energy to get to the front following a tardy start.
“It was a pretty exciting horse race to be part of, there is $100 million worth of horse flesh walking around the enclosure here,” Cummings said.
“Traffic Warden has really asserted himself now….he is a very serious colt for the spring.
“You didn’t see the best of him last prep and he’s an exciting horse to be taking to better races.”
Cummings revealed he watched rival Storm Boy parade before that colt’s dominant return in the San Domenico Stakes last month and while impressed, didn’t hesitate to take him on with Traffic Warden.
“I knew that Traffic Warden wouldn’t come here and be intimidated by a horse like him because he’s the equal of a bull like Storm Boy,” he said.
“He’s got the capability to sprint, he could stretch out to a mile if we feel like that’s the right way to go.
“The Golden Rose is quite well situated in the spring to be a fork in the road to make that decision.”
Apprentice Zac Lloyd was grateful to Godolphin for having the faith to put him on Traffic Warden in such an important race and thrilled to get the job done.
“That’s a top-notch feeling,” Lloyd said.
“The horse got there quick and I must say, the last hundred metres he was feeling the pinch so there is a lot of improvement still in the horse and I’m very excited for in two weeks.”
Traffic Warden was Godolphin’s fourth successive Run To The Rose winner after Anamoe (2021), In Secret (2022) and Cylinder last year.
Adam Hyeronimus was proud of Storm Boy’s effort after he got squeezed out at the start then had to go muster to go to the front or be caught deep.
“He’s done a courageous job to run as well as she has to do that work. It’s hard for any horse,” Hyeronimus said.
Linebacker turned in an eye-catching effort for fourth, while both Bustling and Switzerland disappointed, finishing second last and last respectively.
In the other three-year-old feature of the day, the Chris Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah ($5) finished over the top of Mayfair ($4.80 fav) to take out the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) by a half-neck with Snack Bar ($13) another long head further back.
Her win presents the stable with the conundrum of whether to target the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) in three weeks, where she would clash with undefeated stablemate Autumn Glow, or freshen her for the Thousand Guineas (1600m) towards the end of the Melbourne spring carnival.
“Initially, Chris thought, do we try to split them with Hermitage (Thoroughbreds) being involved in both horses, send one for the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield,” Waller’s assistant Charlie Duckworth said.
“But now that’s at the backend of the season and you’ve just won first-up and the Flight Stakes is only a matter of weeks away. It’s a hard one.”