Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott head to Melbourne on Saturday for the Group I Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with Gold Standard and with an underlying confidence that the Sydney colts may have the wood over their southern counterparts.
The result of the Caulfield Guineas Prelude has given co-trainer Adrian Bott an air of confidence that Gold Standard can make his presence felt in Saturday's $2 million feature at Caulfield.
"It's good to see the form franked of the Sydney colts going down to Melbourne," Bott said.
"Perast and Kementari, both those Sydney horses have already performed so well down there.
"Perast finished behind Gold Standard in the Golden Rose and he's gone down to Melbourne and won the Guineas Prelude.
"The Sydney colts might just have an edge."
Waterhouse and Bott have always had a big opinion of Gold Standard and Bott believes the progression that the horse has made in such a short space of time is testament to that.
"He's a hugely talented colt,"Bott said.
"For any horse in their first preparation to go through from a maiden to running a credible race in the Golden Rose, through to competing in the Caulfield Guineas, it speaks volumes of his natural talent.''
The son of Sebring has raced from 1100m to 1500m and only finished out the top two placings once in five starts, and that was in the Group I Golden Rose when finishing fourth.
"The progeny of Sebring are so versatile and that's why we love them," Bott said.
"He won the Stan Fox over 1500m so the mile of the Guineas is just going to suit him down to the ground.
"In the autumn he'll be a really nice colt for us but he's a great chance for us on Saturday."
Saturday will be the first time Gold Standard will race the Melbourne way of going, however Bott indicated he's already had some practice.
"He had a jump up down there on Friday just give him a nice easy hit out just to teach him that way of going in Melbourne and get on the right leg," Bott said.
"He ended up handling it great.
"It took him a while initially but then he switched on pretty quickly, he's a smart colt like that – he's talented."
Gold Standard has drawn favourably in barrier six, has Stephen Baster booked to ride and is currently quoted at $13 with Luxbet.
