The final field of 15 acceptances for the richest race at the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), was released today in anticipation of the showdown this Saturday at Rosehill.
The star-studded field of spring hopefuls features a number of proven champions and many promising three-year-olds.
Early favourites for the set weights event includes the two colts that ran 1-2 last start in the traditional lead-up for the Golden Rose, the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1300m), Squamosa and Masquerader.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Squamosa maintained his unbeaten record winning the Run To The Rose on August 14, but the Nash Rawiller mount has suffered a blow drawing wide with barrier 14 for Saturday.
Masquerader, on the other hand, has come up trumps with barrier two, the David Payne-trained Lucy Owners colt due to be ridden Hugh Bowman.
Other top picks in the 2010 Golden Rose betting markets include Toorak Toff and Decision Time.
The Rick Hore-Lacy trained Toorak Toff won the Listed Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last start and has been a favourite with the punters at [sportsbet].
Champion hoop Damien Oliver will take the mount on Toorak Toff in the Golden Rose, jumping from barrier nine.
Last year’s Golden Slipper runner-up Decision Time is another early favourite that has drawn poorly in barrier 13, the Clarry Conners-trained gelding coming off a fifth place finish in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1200m).
The other Up And Coming Stakes runner backing up in the Golden Rose is fourth placegetter Top Drop drawn in barrier 12.
Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily has been paid up for the Golden Rose, but after drawing barrier 10 may be withdrawn in favour of the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes at Caulfield also on Saturday.
One contender not to be forgotten that could be the value pick at [sportsbet] is Michael Tubman’s Chance Bye.
The Snitzel filly ran third in the Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes first-up last Saturday and is drawn ideally in barrier three for the Golden Rose.
The other Group race to be held at Rosehill on Saturday is the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1100m), so don’t forget to check out the exciting betting markets open at [sportsbet] for this quality handicap event.
Betting odds for the 2010 Golden Rose will open soon, so get ready to lock in the best price for your favourites by signing up with [sportsbet] today.
2010 Golden Rose Final Field & Barrier Draw
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Weight (kg) |
| 1 | SQUAMOSA | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 14 | 56.5 |
| 2 | DECISION TIME | Clarry Conners | Blake Shinn | 13 | 56.5 |
| 3 | HINCHINBROOK | Gerald Ryan | Corey Brown | 4 | 56.5 |
| 4 | MASQUERADER | David Payne | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 56.5 |
| 5 | TOORAK TOFF | Rick Hore-Lacy | Damien Oliver | 9 | 56.5 |
| 6 | KUDAKULARI (NZ) | Bart Cummings | – | 11 | 56.5 |
| 7 | RUN FOR LEVI | John P Thompson | Peter Robl | 1 | 56.5 |
| 8 | TOP DROP | Gerald Ryan | Jay Ford | 12 | 56.5 |
| 9 | ILOVETHISCITY | Grahame Begg | Joshua Parr | 7 | 56.5 |
| 10 | PRAECIDO (NZ) | David Payne | Glyn Schofield | 5 | 56.5 |
| 11 | CRYSTAL LILY | M Ellerton & S Zahra | Brett Prebble | 10 | 54.5 |
| 12 | CHANCE BYE | Michael Tubman | Kathy O’Hara | 3 | 54.5 |
| 13 | PANIPIQUE | Peter G Moody | Jim Cassidy | 6 | 54.5 |
| 14 | SASA | Tim Martin | – | 15 | 54.5 |
| 15 | GYBE | Anthony Cummings | Tim Clark | 8 | 54.5 |
