Hayes ready to rock the Golden Rose with Victorian raider

In one of the most open renewals of the Golden Rose so far, racing editor Ray Thomas breaks down the race to find the winner.

Hugh Bowman during trackwork at Randwick this week. Picture: Mark Evans

$1M GOLDEN ROSE (1400m), ROSEHILL GARDENS, TOMORROW

1 2x40 SIDESTEP (3) P Snowden K Mc Evoy 56.5 $13

2 5x21 FAST 'N' ROCKING (5) D Hayes B Prebble 56.5 $6

3 66x0 CRITERION (6) D Payne C Reith 56.5 $35

4 1124 ZOUSTAR (17) C Waller J A Cassidy 56.5 $11

5 7x22 DISSIDENT (14) P Moody Tim Clark 56.5 $17

6 4311 AUSSIES LOVE SPORT (16) G Waterhouse J Collett 56.5 $21

7 x136 WINDJAMMER (11) B Baker Nathan Berry 56.5 $26

8 1118 EUROZONE (2) Bart and James Cummings J Parr 56.5 $17

9 1114 PITCREW (4) G Waterhouse B Shinn 56.5 $35

10 41x2 DRAGO (13) A Cummings P Robl 56.5 $13

11 2142 BULL POINT (12) G Waterhouse G Schofield 56.5 $35

12 2x61 WAR (10) G Waterhouse Tommy Berry 56.5 $26

13 112 PRINCE HARADA (1) T Vasil J Bowman 56.5 $4.20f

14 x213 THERMAL CURRENT (8) P Moody B Rawiller 56.5 $21

15 6x17 INTO THE RED (15) K Wood M Cahill 56.5 $71

16 6x25 CLUSTER (7) A Cummings J B Mc Donald 56.5 $8

17 77x3 MARSEILLE ROULETTE (9) G Waterhouse Ms K O'Hara 56.5 $51

HISTORY

Horses to complete big-race doubles

Up And Coming Stakes-Golden Rose: Court Command (2006), Manawanui (2011)

Tomorrow: War

Run To The Rose-Golden Rose: Denman (2009)

Tomorrow: Nil

Vain Stakes-Golden Rose: Toorak Toff (2010)

Tomorrow: Nil

McNeil Stakes-Golden Rose: Nil

Tomorrow: Fast 'N' Rocking

War wins the Up And Coming Stakes at Warwick Farm.

HOW THEY FARED IN THE MAJOR LEAD-UP RACES

UP AND COMING STAKES, WARWICK FARM, AUGUST 24

War jumped straight to the front, slowed the tempo and turned this race into a sprint home where he proved too good for his rivals. War maintained a clear advantage throughout and scored comfortably by a length from the fast-finishing Drago. The runner-up's effort was exceptional given he was unsuited by the slow early pace. Pitcrew was slow to begin and settled further back than expected before making up ground along the rails to run fourth.

RUN TO THE ROSE, ROSEHILL GARDENS, AUGUST 31

Va Pensiero proved his San Domenico Stakes win was no fluke with another tough win in the Run To The Rose. He's being reserved for sprint races and is not running in the Golden Rose but there was some eye-catching trials behind him. Dissident did have some trouble getting a clear run in the straight and again finished well for a close second. Marseille Roulette ran very well first-up, racing up on the speed and holding on for third. Zoustar was doing his best work late to run fourth while Cluster came from last on the turn with a late surge to finish fifth.

Tim Clark guides Va Pensiero to victory in the Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens. Picture: Damian Shaw

BARRIERS

Race favourite Prince Harada has drawn barrier one, a starting position that has produced two winners of the Golden Rose in its 10 runnings - Doonan (2004) and Duporth (2008). Inside barriers are a distinct advantage with every winner coming from inside nine with the exception of In Top Swing (2003) and Forensics (2008) who both started from 12.

THE SPEED MAP

A near-capacity field of 17 runners should generate a solidly run Golden Rose. The Gai Waterhouse-trained duo of War and Marseille Roulette are drawn in the middle of the field and are expected to go forward looking for the early lead. Don't be surprised if their stablemate Aussies Love Sport also settles up on the speed but he would need to begin well from his wide barrier. Prince Harada and Eurozone are drawn the inside two barriers with the latter more likely to be able to make full use of his favourable starting position. Pitcrew can also position right up on the speed from gate four. The sheer size of the field should ensure this Golden Rose is run at a genuine speed giving backmarkers an opportunity to make ground late in the race.

THE DISTANCE

There are 11 runners in the Golden Rose field going to 1400m for the first time in their careers. The only runner in the race who has won at the Rosehill 1400m trip is Pitcrew, who is unbeaten in his two starts at this distance. Aussies Love Sport has won his last two starts, both at 1400m, including the Ming Dynasty Quality at his most recent outing, and Dissident won the BRC Sires Produce Stakes earlier this year. They are the only Golden Rose runners to have won at 1400m although Drago is an 1800m Rosehill winner as a juvenile.

THE TRAINERS

Peter Snowden has been the most successful trainer in Golden Rose history with three wins from Forensics (2008), Denman (2009) and Epaulette last year. Snowden has Sidestep in tomorrow's big race. Anthony Cummings, who prepares Drago and Cluster, is the only other trainer represented in the Golden Rose to have won the race previously. Cummings was successful with Duporth in 2008.

Hugh Bowman during trackwork at Randwick this week. Picture: Mark Evans

THE JOCKEY

Hugh Bowman (Prince Harada) knows what is required to win the Golden Rose. He holds the riding record in the big race with three previous wins - In Top Swing (2003), Doonan (2004) and Duporth (2008). Kerrin McEvoy (Sidestep) won on Denman in 2009 while Tommy Berry (War) scored the first Group 1 winner of his riding career when he partnered Epaulette to success 12 months ago.

THE FAVOURITE

Only two favourites have won the Golden Rose in the race's 10-year history - Duporth ($2.70, 2008) and Denman ($2.40, 2009). The shortest favourite in Golden Rose history was Smart Missile, who was sent out at $2.10 but just failed to run down Manawanui in an epic 2011 clash.

AND THE VERDICT IS - FAST 'N' ROCKING

In one of the most open renewals of the Golden Rose so far, Fast 'N' Rocking is the one I keep coming back to. He has always shown a stack of ability and is finally learning to harness that talent, breaking through at his ninth start to win the McNeil Stakes at Caulfield two weeks ago. Admittedly Fast 'N' Rocking again showed a tendency to do things wrong in his races but he was powerful and dominant to the line. He has had three starts the Sydney way of going during the autumn including a close fifth in the Golden Slipper. Drawn ideally in barrier five and has a world-class jockey in Brett Prebble in the saddle.

Sidestep, the Golden Slipper runner-up, is overdue for a change of luck. He was absolutely hammered at the start in the Run To The Rose and could not get into the contest, finishing at the rear of the field. Loaded with ability, Sidestep can improve sharply on his last start, particularly now he has drawn an inside barrier. He is good value at double figure odds.

Prince Harada did not have much room in the McNeil Stakes and certainly should have finished much closer to Fast 'N' Rocking. The Melbourne colt is the race favourite, he has a huge reputation and obvious ability. There are more positives than negatives about drawing the rails barrier and he does have Sydney's champion jockey Hugh Bowman to steer him around Rosehill.

Drago is on the Victoria Derby trial but has been kept fresh for the Golden Rose and I expect him to be charging home, along with his stablemate Cluster. Zoustar, Dissident, Eurozone and Aussies Love Sport also have good chances, while Pitcrew, at $35, is the value runner in the race.

Ray's tips

1 FAST 'N' ROCKING

2 Sidestep

3 Prince Harada

4 Drago

Best outsider:

Pitcrew