The 1400m G1 Golden Rose is set to take place at Rosehill this Saturday and has 13 three-year-olds facing the starter. This is the first big test for the new three-year-olds and is also the biggest collection of their age group since the Golden Slipper, won by Stay Inside.
He won’t be contesting this race after suffering from the Golden Slipper curse and returning poorly so far this prep, but this field is still extremely strong and has class oozing throughout. The Godolphin-trained Anamoe is odds on favourite for the race after an exhilarating win in the 1200m G2 Run To The Rose two weeks ago, where he beat home three of his rivals for this race.
Given COVID-19 restrictions haven’t allowed races to held at Rosehill since July, the track should be in perfect condition, especially with the rail in the true position and a good surface expected, given the forecast in Sydney. It presents itself as a cracking day for racing and the headline act won’t disappoint, so read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2021 Golden Rose.
Star colt Anamoe returns in style in the Group 2 Run To The Rose. ⭐⭐⭐ pic.twitter.com/l6z0agvN0z
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 11, 2021
1.Anamoe (8) – $1.90
Jockey – James McDonald
Trainer – James Cummings
The best two-year-old has returned as the best three-year-old and justifies his short-priced favourtism for the Golden Rose, especially considering his camp has compared him to champion-sprinter Bivouac, who won this race in 2019. He went into the Run To The Rose off a setback and with only a 752m trial under his belt and still stormed over the top to win. He should improve from that run, is proven at the distance and it would take genuine bad luck or a traffic jam to stop him from winning this.
2. Artorius (11) – $9
Jockey – Jason Collett
Trainer – Anthony & Sam Freedman
Artorius brings Melbourne three-year-old form into the race and it is tough to judge how it will stack up. His running pattern does him no favours, going back and needing everything to go in his favour, but he drops 3kg from his last start, gets Jason Collett on and this may be the fastest run race he has been in this prep, which helps his chances.
3. Captivant (1) – $34
Jockey – Sam Clipperton
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden
He looked flat in the Run To The Rose, finishing 3.8L behind Anamoe in sixth, and it is hard to see how he will close that gap in this one. He has faced the favourite over this distance as a two-year-old and while he was third on that day, he was still 3L off as well.
4. Hilal (13) – $41
Jockey – Joshua Parr
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
Hilal finished 0.4L behind Artorius in a 1400m race at Flemington two weeks ago but meets him 2.5kg worse at the weights for this clash. He was 2.8L off Anamoe as a two-year-old and the wide draw means he will have a lot of chasing to do, which won’t work well for him.
Does Anamoe get beaten? 🤔👇#GoldenRose pic.twitter.com/9UFtyY9jYz
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 21, 2021
5. In The Congo (6) – $10
Jockey – Tim Clark
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
The genuine leader of this race, In The Congo will take some chasing. He will shoot straight to the front and set a solid tempo, meaning the onus will be on the other 12 runners to be able to chase him down. He almost held on in the Run To The Rose, going down by just 0.3L and he won fourth up as a two-year-old, which is what he is for the Golden Rose.
6. Tiger Of Malay (4) – $21
Jockey – Glen Boss
Trainer – Richard & Michael Freedman
Tiger Of Malay is one of just four horses that has won at 1400m previously and the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce was a hotly contested race, considering Converge came out of that race to win the J J Atikins. He stepped up to 1500m last time and just couldn’t hold on with Giannis going past him, so the drop down to 1400m should suit.
7. Remarque (5) – $8.50
Jockey – Hugh Bowman
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
He has had genuine excuses in his two runs this prep and is still being considered by The Everest slot holders, highlighting his class. The issue is that he couldn’t catch Anamoe in the Run To The Rose, albeit posted three wide throughout due to a wide gate, and now meets him 2.5kg worse at the weights for this race. He has an exceptional turn of foot and gets a better draw here, but will need to be at his best.
8. Giannis (9) – $23
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy
Trainer – Chris Waller
It has been an interesting lead up to the Golden Rose for Giannis. After finishing 2nd in the 1600m J J Atkins in June, he was tucked away and given two trials before coming out and winning the 1300m Dulcify two weeks ago. Chris Waller is very methodical with the way he does things and is following the blueprint that saw him win the 2018 Golden Rose with The Autumn Sun. The blinkers go on here and given he finished strong over 1500m means he will be good to go here.
GIANNIS GETS UP IN DULCIFY 🏇
Giannis breaks his maiden getting the bob in a close finish with Tiger of Malay in the Dulcify Stakes.
It’s another winner for @cwallerracing who has been on 🔥 https://t.co/vulGxMRN8L— RSN927am (@RSN927) September 11, 2021
9. Royalzel (12) – $41
Jockey – Rachel King
Trainer – Gary Portelli
Given the prep he has had, which includes beating some older horses first up off an eight-week freshen and then finishing just 0.6L off Giannis last start, it doesn’t quite make sense for Royalzel to be at this price. Gary Portelli has lofty expectations for this colt, who has won four of his seven races but the wide draw does him no favours here.
10. Coastwatch (2) – $27
Jockey – Nash Rawiller
Trainer – Chris Waller
Coastwatch is another interesting Waller runner who has had an unusual prep leading into the Golden Rose. He was a last-start winner over this distance and has had four weeks off since that run to prepare. The worry is that he was a narrow second to Tiger Of Malay in the run prior and now meets him 8kg worse at the weights, and we have pegged a few better than Tiger Of Malay for this race.
11. Moridan (3) – $101
Jockey – Jean Van Overmeire
Trainer – Anthony Cummings
Moridan is the clear outsider for a reason. While he could come out and shock us, he has had two runs in low grades and won’t stack up against the best three-year-olds.
12. Jamaea (7) – $15
Jockey – Brock Ryan
Trainer – Robert & Luke Price
While fillies don’t normally win the Golden Rose, Jamaea’s speed brings X-factor into this race. Her last start win over 1200m against the girls was exceptional, coming from last and having one of the best last 600m splits of the day. The 2kg allowance for being a filly works in her favour and Brock Ryan is one of the best apprentice (can’t claim in this race) riders in the country.
13. Startantes (10) – $19
Jockey – Regan Bayliss
Trainer – Robert Heathcote
There is some expectation surrounding Startantes in this race. Her connections coughed up $37,500 for the late entry fee into the race, meaning they have a high opinion of her. She comes into this race fifth up, having won her last three races, meaning she is in form and should be storming home late.
“She’s won 5 from 8, ANAMOE is the best 3yo in the country but away from him I think it’s even, 1400 I don’t have a problem with, she’s no bigger than my dog”
Robert Heathcote on his quality filly STARTANTES, a late entry for Saturday’s Golden Rose.#Bensley@AndrewBensley pic.twitter.com/bc3ZUVCHgj
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) September 20, 2021
Final Word
It is hard to look past the favourite here. Despite suffering setbacks in the prep, the Godolphin team saying he would need the run and then drifting out of favouritism late in the market, he still came out and won the Run To The Rose first up.
He does have some stiff competition in this race though. In The Congo scares the most as he will take some catching, while Artorius gets down in weights and is ready to win and Jamaea brings X-factor speed and looks like the best chance to buck the trend to win the Golden Rose as a filly.
However, Anamoe is a class above and his price shows that, considering he holds a nomination for the Cox Plate and could potentially contend against some of the older horses in this preparation. This looks to be another stepping stone on his way to the Caulfield Guineas, where he is $2.50 favourite, and he should simply just win.
If you can get $2 for him, it looks to be one of the best bets all weekend and given Sportsbet are offering bonus back up to 4th, you should be safe to either win or get a bonus back as a worst case scenario!
Best Golden Rose Tip: Anamoe – Win ($1.90)
There is more Group One racing happening this weekend! If you want to check out our Runner-By-Runner analysis of the Moir Stakes, click here! If you want a preview of the five-horse field contesting the Underwood Stakes, click here!
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our Golden Rose page for all your punting needs!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of Sportsbet.
