Garnet River will enter the Tatlow Stakes final in winning form
Garnet River will get his shot at Group glory next weekend after effortlessly winning his heat of the Tatlow Stakes for colts and geldings at Maryborough on Thursday afternoon.
The classy Hugh Cathels-trained gelding confirmed his standing as one of Victoria’s most promising two-year-olds with a soft four-metre win his $6000 qualifier.
It books the son of Red River Hanover a place in next Friday night’s $50,000 Group 2 final at Moonee Valley.
There the gelding will be striving to take his record to six wins from eight starts.
The only times he hasn’t passed the post first were at his racetrack debut, when runner-up to the equally-promising Ghadasbest and two starts ago when a gallant sixth in a star-studded Group 1 Australian Pacing Gold final.
But as impressive as Garnet River was, dashing home along the sprint lane in a 28.8-second last split to win in a 2:02.5 mile rate, his time wasn’t the quickest of the day’s two 2190-metre heats.
That honour fell to the opening heat winner, the Dean Braun-trained Roman Ruler.
The Christian Cullen colt also travelled on the leader’s back for most of his heat, but instead of waiting for the sprint lane driver Chris Alford hooked him around the leading pair rounding the home turn before powering away for an impressive 2:01.3 victory.
Roman Ruler defeated Tormachtuga by two metres with Sandler, Rip And Roar and Faberargas rounding out the top five to secure their place in the final, while Watch The Aces goes through as the quickest sixth placegetter.
Joining Garnet River as qualifiers from the second heat at runner-up Barzona Highway, third placegetter Hezaliner, Brutus Smith and Zen Over Again.
