The 2018 Group 2 The Run To The Rose over 1200m at Rosehill on Saturday is one of the major lead up races for the Group 1 Golden Rose over 1400m at the same track in a fortnight. A smart group of three year olds has assembled with the field for The Run To The Rose already reduced to twelve runners following the early scratching of the Tim Martin trained Danawi who is set to take his place in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes over 1500m for the three year olds.
The early favourite Graff is not going to get it all his own way this week after drawing the outside barrier while the Chris Waller trained Performer could get all the favours from the inside gate.
Waller will also saddle up the well performed Zousain and Lean Mean Machine while the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have arrived from interstate with Long Leaf and Smart Elissim.
We have analysed every horse in the field and our 2018 The Run To The Rose tips can be found below.
Zousain
The Chris Waller trained Zousain is resuming for the 2018 Spring Carnival and showed that he has plenty of ability with a win during the 2018 Queensland Winter Carnival in the Group 2 Champagne Classic over 1200m at Doomben. The Zoustar colt has been primed for a bold first up showing with a win in a recent 1000m Rosehill barrier trial. Plenty to like about him.
Lean Mean Machine
Lean Mean Machine is a stablemate of Zousain and beat him home in the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) at Doomben during the Queensland Winter Carnival. The Zoustar colt has been unplaced in two recent barrier trials at Randwick and Rosehill in preparation for his return and will be better suited as he steps up in distance later in his prep.
Graff
Graff kept his unbeaten record intact when he made it three wins from three starts with an impressive victory in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill on August 25. The Kris Lees trained Star Witness colt didn’t have to go around a horse that day from barrier one but won’t get all the favours on Saturday from the outside gate but is still one of the main chances.
Performer
Performer was no closer than three wide last start after drawing a wide gate but tried hard in the straight to finish three and three quarter lengths third to Graff in the San Domenico Stakes. It will be a different story this week with the Chris Waller trained Exceed And Excel colt drawing the rails and will get his chance to reverse the placings.
Paquiri
Paquiri was a long way off the pace when eighth first up in the San Domenico Stakes and the Gary Moore trained colt is facing a similar field here.
Danawi
Danawai has been scratched from the 2018 Run To The Rose.
Sandbar
Sandbar was strong at the finish when a first up winner in the Listed Rosebud over 1100m at Rosehill on August 11. The extra distance should suit the Brad Widdup trained colt and he has a good each way chance at some handy odds.
Long Leaf
Long Leaf is the first of the two Lindsay Park trained three year olds to run in The Run To The Rose and arrives in Sydney on the back of a first up second in the Group 3 Vain Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield. The Fastnet Rock colt had some handy form as a two year old and isn’t the roughest in the field.
Jonker
Jonker was a drifter in the betting when a first up fourth to Graff in the San Domenico Stakes and would have to show a marked improvement if he is going to be threat here.
Legend Of Condor
The Gerald Ryan trained Legend Of Condor was around the minor prizemoney in some handy races during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival but never threatened with a first up eighth to Sandbar in the Rosebud. This is no easier.
Tchaikovsky
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Tchaikovsky was always well back and struggled to make up any ground in the straight first up when fifth to Graff in the San Domenico Stakes. The Redoute’s Choice colt is going into The Run For The Rose with a gear change and will wear a crossover noseband for the first time.
Smart Elissim
Smart Elissim is the second of the Lindsay Park trained runners and was the winner of his two starts at Sale and Sandown before slipping up to Sydney for a third to Master Ash in the Group 3 Up and Coming Stakes over 1300m at Randwick. The Smart Missile gelding has the winkers on for the first time but will find this tougher.
Nuclear Blitz
Nuclear Blitz has been installed as one of the outsiders in The Run To The Rose and is coming off a last start fourth in a 1200m Moonee Valley three year old filly’s Plate.