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By Ray Hickson

Is Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s latest import Elamaz a case of Eliyass mark two?

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Grant Guy)

It’s hard not to be drawn to some similarities between the two French imports as the former makes his Australian debut in the Listed $200,000 Toyota Forklifts WJ McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Elamaz brings a record of seven starts for four wins and three seconds, Eliyass had eight starts for six wins and two seconds when he landed.

Eliyass kicked off at 2000m winning the Lord Mayors Cup in June last year, while Elamaz is a couple of weeks later but he’s had an identical build up with a 1045m and two 1200m trials.

Bott said the fact Elamaz, $4.40 with TAB on Thursday, hasn’t raced beyond a mile is a major difference between the pair but he’s keen to see what the five-year-old can produce.

“He’s consistent and brings over a nice record, through the right races,’’ Bott said.

“I don’t mind the fact he’s coming through that miler profile. It probably brings a bit more tactical speed, in saying that we’re still happy to be testing him over 2000m.

“Whether he gets as far as (Eliyass) I’m not sure, they come with a bit of a different profile, he may stretch out in trip but for now we’ll keep Saturday in isolation and work out goals after that.”

A year ago, following his first-up win, Eliyass wasn’t seen again until late August when he won the Premier’s Cup and Kingston Town Stakes before placing in the Group 1 Turnbull and starting well in the market in a Caulfield Cup.

Elamaz, formerly owned by the Aga Khan, was purchased for about $860,000 Australian and Bott said he appears to have settled in well to his new surrounds.

He concedes having not raced past 1600m is an obvious question mark but said everything he’s seen of the gelding suggests it’s not going to be a problem.

“Whether that’s his most effective trip or not, that’s what Saturday is about,’’ he said.

“It will teach us more then we can profile him better and we can understand whether he will be a spring horse and where we can place him.

“I like the fact that he’s shown speed and it looks like he’s adapted very well to the style of racing here. Not all of them adapt quickly and some take a preparation or two.

“At that trip he naturally has a bit of tactical speed to do be up there. He’s shown a nice turn of foot in trials as well, no doubt he’ll be effective.”

Tulloch Lodge has won two of the last six McKell Cups and Bott said stablemate Townsend is a solid back up to Elamaz and is confident he can improve on his three runs back.

He raced consistently in the spring and summer winning at Newcastle on Hunter day and placing in the ATC Cup and Summer Cup but he was disappointing in his unplaced effort at Flemington earlier this month.

“I feel he’s been racing well with a few excuses, things haven’t quite fallen into place for him,’’ Bott said.

“I think he can improve, blinkers are coming off and he’s certainly capable of winning a race of this class.”

It’s been just over a year since Sovereign Hill’s last start, where he started $3.10 in running third behind Swiftfalcon in a two-year-old event at Rosehill.

Bott said he’s a horse that has needed some time and suspects he’ll benefit from whatever he shows in the TAB Handicap (1100m).

Elamaz runs second in a Randwick trial on June 13

“He’s been gelded and he is back in good shape, he’s trialled up well,’’ Bott said.

“Having had that time off the scene he’ll naturally improve off the run. We’ve tried to do as much as we can with him at home and he seems in good order.”

Adrian Bott on Soldier Of Rome and Sly Boots (race 3): “Both are resuming and it’s probably short of their best particularly Soldier Of Rome. They seem in good order and we’ll probably see more of them deeper into the campaign.”

On Ganbare (race 8): “He will appreciate another run and getting out over a bit further.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting