Divine Prophet new 2016 Golden Rose favourite

The strength of the Hawkes Racing spring team has again been stamped with Divine Prophet claiming the Up And Coming Stakes to cement favouritism for the Golden Rose.

A week ago, Star Turn showed his improvement from his juvenile season with victory in the San Domenico Stakes.

Divine Prophet ($7.50) backed it up on Saturday at Randwick when he came from last to win the Group Three race over 1300m to put a short neck on Derryn ($3.60) with favourite Thronum ($3) the same margin third.

Senior training partner John Hawkes said the two colts would travel different spring paths with Divine Prophet now at $6 for next month’s Golden Rose (1400m).

“He will run further than Star Turn. Probably up to a mile, a mile-and-a-quarter,” Hawkes said.

“He is in the Golden Rose, the Caulfield Guineas and the Cox Plate but we will take it one step at a time.

“They are both lovely colts but there’s a long spring ahead.

“It’s a good start for the battlers.”

Derryn, a last-start Caulfield winner, firmed from $15 to $11 for the Golden Rose with co-trainer Ben Hayes saying he got to the front a little sooner than hoped.

“He probably got left out in front a bit far out and something from behind just got him on the line,” he said.

“I think we can still go for the Golden Rose if we ride him a bit quieter with cover he might be a bit better.”

Divine Prophet’s third and final start as a two-year-old produced a third in the Group One Champagne Stakes won by Prized Icon who finished fourth on Saturday under Hugh Bowman.

“I was delighted with him,” Bowman said.

“He gave away a lot of weight to his rivals today but ran up to expectations and he is on track for this preparation.”

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au

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