Denman seems to have a stranglehold on the Australian Guineas but Bart Cummings is willing to take him on with emerging talent Rock Classic.The Cummings-trained So You Think was seen as the logical measuring stick for Denman but the master trainer aborted the Cox Plate winner's autumn preparation after he put in a lacklustre gallop last Friday week.Denman extended his record to three from three this campaign when he strolled around Caulfield to win the D'Urban Stakes on Saturday with ease.Rock C

Denman seems to have a stranglehold on the Australian Guineas but Bart Cummings is willing to take him on with emerging talent Rock Classic.

The Cummings-trained So You Think was seen as the logical measuring stick for Denman but the master trainer aborted the Cox Plate winner's autumn preparation after he put in a lacklustre gallop last Friday week.

Denman extended his record to three from three this campaign when he strolled around Caulfield to win the D'Urban Stakes on Saturday with ease.

Rock Classic made hard work of his victory in a Benchmark 71 (1500m)at Rosehill but it was enough to convince Cummings to send him south for the Australian Guineas (1600m) on March 6 where he will wear blinkers.

"He's as green as grass, he was all over the place but he's a horse with a lot of ability," Cummings said.

"He'll go to Melbourne for the Guineas now and I think he'll be wearing blinkers."

Stewards were critical of Tim Clark's ride saying he should have shown more judgment early than to be trapped three-wide after coming out of gate two.

It was the latter part of the race that caused the trainer concern when Rock Classic wandered in and out once he hit the front prompting talk of blinkers.

Rock Classic was a $41 chance for the Guineas with TAB Sportsbet on Sunday with Denman at $1.36.

The biggest firmer was Set For Fame who came into $5 after her win in the Angus Armanasco at Caulfield.

Cox Plate runner-up Manhattan Rain was at $11 with the horses that finished behind Denman in the D'Urban at $21 and longer.

A bleeding attack halted Set For Fame's spring campaign last year when she was one of the favourites for the Group One Thousand Guineas.

Trainer Peter Moody said he was "extremely confident" that Set For Fame, who has raced six times for three wins and two seconds, would run a strong 1600 metres.

"If she pulls up good it will be hard for me not to go there (to the Australian Guineas) because I think some of those colts are suspect at the mile," Moody said.

Manhattan Rain made an inglorious start to his autumn when he reared up as the gates opened for the Royal Sovereign Stakes on February 13 and lost all chance.

A son of champion Lonhro, Denman has won nine of his 11 start but has only been tested over 1600 metres once wen unplaced in the Caulfield Guineas.

"It's important to get that box (the 1600m) ticked," trainer Peter Snowden said.

"It would just complete his career, being a sprinter-miler which is what we want to see."