Jack Bruce shooting for Group 3 triumph

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Jack Bruce is hopeful well-bred filly Highgrove Rose can maintain a family tradition by claiming her first stakes race at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Highgrove Rose - a Damien Thornton mount – takes a massive leap in class from winning her maiden at the Sunshine Coast earlier this month to the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes.

Bruce, who is in the progress of moving into new stables at Eagle Farm, as well as training from his Deagon base, has a high opinion of Highgrove Rose and plans to target next year’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks with the daughter of King’s Legacy.

Highgrove Rose’s mother, Chintz, raced with distinction in New Zealand and won at Group 2 level as well as being a Group 1 placegetter.

“She’s very well-bred and hopefully she can win to keep the family tradition going of winning a stakes race,” Bruce said.

“She’s nominated for the Magic Millions Guineas but they could be a bit sharp for her over 1400 metres, so we’ll see how she runs in the Grand Prix before deciding if she runs in the Guineas.

“If she doesn’t then there a few other races around like The Wave which looks a suitable race.”

Bruce has been training for less than five years and his only stakes win was Axe in the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in 2022.

“I haven’t had many starters in stakes races and Axe has been my only winner so far,” Bruce said.

“This filly has been racing well but it took longer than expected for her to win her maiden.

“She was unlucky in her first two starts back this preparation.

“In her first run back over 1200 metres at the Sunshine Coast she drew wide in a small field and just missed.

“Then she was held up at a crucial stage second-up before she finally won her maiden over 1600 metres.”

Bruce believes stepping out to 1800 metres is a natural progression for Highgrove Rose at stakes level.

“Going to 1800 metres is ideal for her,” he said.

“I tested her in two Listed races as a two-year-old and she wasn’t disgraced.

“She’s come back in good form this campaign so it’s time to test her against some of the best three-year-olds.”

Her first stakes appearance was in the Listed Bill Carter at Doomben in May when she finished a game sixth behind the Kelly Schweida-trained Sunrays.

She then was a well beaten 11th behind Sunrays in the Listed Show A Heart at Eagle Farm in June when she at the end of her winter campaign.