2025 Run To The Rose Day Preview

MERIDIANA resumes in a winnable race at Rosehill this week.

The Preferment mare hasn’t been seen at the races since May, but she stamped herself as one to follow during that debut prep, winning her first career start before turning in competitive performances in races like the South Pacific Classic and the Princess Stakes.

She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials and while I’m confident she’ll improve for whatever shoe does in this, she certainly has the ability to produce a sharp fresh performance.

SOLITARIO has been racing in consistent form this time in.

The Pariah gelding launched his campaign with consecutive victories in maiden and Class 1 company at Scone, while he has since filled the minors in three subsequent appearances, including a Highway race at this track and trip last time out.

He’s hard fit, proven on a soft deck and is drawn to receive a lovely run.

TAZIMA has opened a popular favourite in betting ahead of the third on Run To The Rose Day.

Tazima has been racing in consistent form this time in and was rewarded third up with a dominant victory in BM64 company at Randwick-Kensington.

Having returned to Saturday metro company with a nice performance behind the likes of Travolta here a fortnight ago, beaten less than two lengths, he’s fit, getting out to the mile and a half looks to suit at this point of his preparation.

GLAD YOU THINK SO chases a hat-trick at Rosehill this week.

The So You Think gelding was an eye-catching winner over a mile at Randwick in late July and returned from a brief freshen up to repeat the dose in BM78 company last time out.

He’s open to further improvement this week and the small rise in trip looks to suit as well.

There is a case to be made for a few of them in this contest, including the resuming FIRE STAR.

Fire Star hasn’t been seen at the races since June and did mix his form last time in, but his best form is certainly up to winning something of this quality.

Two recent trial victories add further confidence, and he has also turned in some nice performances on a rain-affected track.

We’ll get to see if the undefeated AUTUMN BOY is in fact an autumn boy, or if he’s also up to winning spring riches when he resumes in the Ming Dynasty Quality.

Autumn Boy stamped himself as one to follow by breaking his maiden on debut at Canterbury before going up to Brisbane for a dominant win in Listed company at his only other appearance so far.

He’s had the benefit of a couple of trials ahead of Saturday’s return, while he’s drawn a peach in barrier 4 under Jason Collett, who picks up the ride for James McDonald who is in Melbourne.

Star mares will step out in the Sheraco Stakes including the resuming JOLIESTAR.

We haven’t seen her at the races since she stormed home to win the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup during Stradbroke Season, but Joliestar rarely turns in a poor performance, and her fresh record is particularly pleasing reading (5:3-1-1).

She’s trialled up well and can kick off a The Everest campaign with another black type victory on Saturday.

This is one of the strongest editions of the Run To The Rose in recent memory and we’re set for a thrilling contest on Saturday afternoon, featuring some of the Spring Carnival’s most exciting gallopers.

One that I thought represented real value in Run To The Rose betting is SKYHOOK ($9.50 at publish).

Having won a Pago Pago Stakes in dominant fashion on his way to finishing a credible seventh in March’s Golden Slipper over this route, the Written Tycoon colt returned to action to record a nice victory in the Listed Rosebud here last month.

I like that he’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since that race and I am expecting good improvement with the run under his belt.

AUTUMN GLOW has understandably opened a short favourite in Theo Marks Stakes betting.

With an unbeaten record on the line first up in the Toy Show Quality three weeks ago, Autumn Glow looked to have too much work in hunting down Gangsta Granny but dug deep to greet the judge half a length in the clear.

She’ll only improve for that run, and I think she’ll win again, so I am going to select her as the winner in a Same Race Multi and pump up my odds with Kiwi raider PIER running into the first three.

Same Race Multi selections:

• 5 Autumn Glow (Win)
• 2 Pier (Top 3)

I’m going to give CAPTAIN FURAI one last chance we he contests the last on Run To The Rose Day.

Captain Furai has been well in the market in each of three runs since resuming but is yet to record that elusive victory and has started to become a little costly for us punters.

That being said, if the track continues to downgrade and we’re racing on something that is genuinely rain-affected on Saturday, I’m confident he’ll be right in it.