The 2017 Golden Rose Form Guide is essential reading for novice punters and racing fans ahead of the $1 million feature race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday afternoon.
Menari is the horse to beat in the 2017 Golden Rose. Photo: Steve Hart
Fourteen of the country’s best three-year-olds will step out in the 2017 Golden Rose field and we have analysed every horse in detail, in order to help you find a winner.
Menari has returned to racing in outstanding form this season and looms as the horse to beat in the 2017 Golden Rose, but he is sure to face plenty of resistance from the likes of Pariah and Merchant Navy.
The Mission
Group 1 winner The Mission failed to fire first-up, but he is sure to take plenty of benefit into his second run of the season and will have no issue taking up the running in the Golden Rose from barrier 3. The Choisir colt steadily built to the task as a two-year-old and broke through for a maiden race win via an impressive start-to-finish performance in the Group 3 The Schweppervescence (1400m) on March 25th. Running a credible sixth in the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m), The Mission was returned to the paddock after he posted a dominant win in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) on April 15th. The horse was extremely fresh first-up, but has the class to win the Golden Rose as a second point of call.
Menari
Boom colt Menari has returned to the racing in dominant form this time and is undoubtedly the horse to beat in the 2017 Golden Rose field. The Snitzel colt showed plenty of promise as a two-year-old; running second in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1200m) and was third past the post in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m), before being demoted to fourth on protest. Menari has posted big wins in both the Listed The Rosebud (1100m) and Group 2 The Run To The Rose (1400m) this time and does not appear as though he will struggle at 1400m. Regular rider Josh Parr will be in the saddle and Menari may have to show some early speed to cross the field from barrier 11.
Pariah
Pariah is another horse that has been terrific this time in and he would not look out of place in the Golden Rose winner’s stall on Saturday. Pariah debuted to racing for a strong win in the Canonbury Stakes in spring, before placing a close second in both the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G (1100m) and Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m). Pariah trialled extremely well behind Winx prior to his Spring Carnival return and franked that performance when he easily won the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1200m) first-up. Having chased Menari home in the Run To The Rose a fortnight ago, the Redoute’s Choice colt appears as though he will relish 1400m, but will have to overcome barrier 12.
Gold Standard
Gold Standard carries winning form into the Golden Rose 2017 and is arguably over the odds at his current quote. The Sebring colt only debuted in July, but has shown plenty ability through four career starts and is yet to finish worse than second. Breaking his maiden at Canterbury on August 9th, Gold Standard completed a strong transition to black type company when second behind Dracarys in the Group 3 Up & Coming Stakes (1300m) on August 19th, before storming home to win the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) a fortnight ago. Tommy Berry returns to the saddle and the horse will jump from barrier 10.
Trapeze Artist
Black type winner Trapeze Artist is yet to find his best form this time in, but will enjoy racing at 1400m and should be a picture of fitness in the Golden Rose mounting yard. Winner of the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) in Canberra on March 5th, the Snitzel colt ran on for a credible sixth in the Golden Slipper before working to the line well to finish third in the Inglis Sires’ the horse has so-far yet to finish in the first three through two starts this time and he will need to improve drastically to overcome the outside gate and win on Saturday.
Chauffeur
Chauffeur has produced several smart efforts and results throughout his racing career and he would not look out of place finishing in the Golden Rose first three. The Snitzel colt won a Rosehill 1100m sprint on debut in November and ran a smart second behind Houtzen in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in January. Second behind Pariah in the San Domenico Stakes first-up this time, Chauffeur was unable to match it in the late stages of The Run To The Rose last time out and finished sixth.
Merchant Navy
Victorian raider Merchant Navy is yet to taste anything but success through his short, but impressive racing career and is a live chance of winning the Golden Rose. Merchant Navy comfortably won a pair of Victorian metropolitan races contested at 1200m and 1400m respectively upon debuting in March and was returned to the paddock after he beat a smart field by more than a length in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) on April 25th. The horse mustered a smart turn of foot in the final straight at Caulfield to win the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) first-up on September 2nd and will only improve off that effort. Running at the Sydney way of going for the first time is something of a query, but the horse has class by the barrow and is drawn ideally in barrier 2, with in-form hoop Mark Zahra aboard.
Diamond Tathagata
Diamond Tathagata has yet to show much this time and he probably cannot win the Golden Rose. The Hinchinbrook colt showed great ability throughout his two-year-old campaign and was a smart winner of the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) most notably on February 25th, before running a credible seventh in the Golden Slipper. The colt beat Winx in a smart Randwick barrier trial prior to resuming, but failed to beat a single runner home in The Rosebud first-up and only managed to beat one rival in the Run To The Rose.
Dracarys
Dracarys is an interesting inclusion in the Golden Rose field and he carries winning black type form into the Group 1 feature. A smart winner on debut before running fifth in the Skyline Stakes, trainers Peter and Paul Snowden elected to send the Snitzel colt to the paddock and he resumed in July for a close second behind Assimilate in the ATC Member For A Day Handicap (1200m). Rated only an outsider in the Up & Coming Stakes last time out, Dracarys mustered an impressive turn of foot in the final straight to beat subsequent Group 2 winner Gold Standard by a neck. In-form hoop Tim Clark till take the ride from the rails draw.
Assimilate
Assimilate has shown plenty of outstanding ability through his short career so far and he has the notable advantage of leading hoop Hugh Bowman in the saddle for the Golden Rose. Assimilate won both of his first two starts with ease and was unlucky to finish second behind Addictive Nature in a photo finish to the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) last time out on August 26th following a tough run in transit. The horse is drawn to find a position behind the early pace from barrier 9 and he is worth consideration for an each-way bet.
Shogun Sun
Queensland raider Shogun Sun has found strong form this time in and is primed for a competitive performance in the Golden Rose. The Written Tycoon gelding resumed this time for a close second in a Sunshine Coast minor over 1200m on July 15th, before winning a talent-rich Randwick minor over 1200m on August 5th, returning to his home state for second in a Gold Coast sprint on August 26th, Shogun Sun was last seen working to the line well for fifth in the Run To The Rose a fortnight ago, having started slowly. Christian Reith retains the ride and will jump from the ideal barrier 6.
Perast
Perast took up the running in the Run To The Rose, setting a smart tempo and was brave to the line to finish third. The Snitzel colt has produced a number of competitive performances and results through six career starts and trialled exceedingly well in the lead-up to his spring campaign. Unable to overcome an awkward start when sixth in The Rosebud first-up, Perast again required a run when seventh in the San Domenico Stakes, but was clearly fit when he stepped out last time.
Formality
One of only two fillies in the Golden Rose field, Formality has returned to racing in excellent form this time and is treated well in the weights, with only 54.5kgs in tow. Formality was a strong and consistent performer as a two-year-old without setting the Sydney autumn on fire, but has so-far won both the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) this time in. There is a genuine concern over whether or not the Fastnet Rock filly will get the 1400m and she has been confirmed with over barrier 13.
Champagne Cuddles
Champagne Cuddles has gone extremely close without finding winning form at black type level this time and she is worth consideration for an each-way bet in the Golden Rose. Resuming for a smart win in a Randwick minor in June, the Not A Single Doubt filly placed third after flying home late in the Silver Shadow Stakes, before lunging to finish second in a photo in the Furious Stakes. Having again placed second in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) last weekend, Champagne Cuddles is rock-hard fit, drawn well and weighted to win.
