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One of the key support acts on Sydney’s Golden Rose Stakes Day features a small but smart line-up of mares, and the Races.com.au team have gone over the full Golden Pendant 2026 field with our expert preview, tips and betting update right here.
The Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) field has been reduced to just seven starters after two early withdrawals from the line up including Apocalyptic.
That has seen the Golden Pendant odds on the favourite, Chris Waller‘s ultra-consistent Snitzel mare Lazzura, tighten in from $2.45 to $2.15 at Ladbrokes as she looks to return to winning form second-up.
After so many good runs at elite level, the bonny bay finally secured her maiden Group 1 success in the autumn with a brilliant performance to take out the Coolmore Classic (1500m) here in mid-March.
She went on to run a brave second at big odds behind her stablemate Beiwacht in Randwick’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes, the form of which was franked with that galloper posting an impressive three-length win fresh in Caulfield’s Memsie Stakes this season.
Lazzura meanwhile got her spring campaign underway on September 12 in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) over a sprint distance running a typically competitive third under a length off Savvy Hallie having closed hard to produce some speedy late sectionals.
Sticking at her pet track now, she’ll improve off that and looks every chance to add to her strong second-up record (5:3-0-1) with James McDonald aboard from barrier four.
The potential each way danger if Lazzura doesn’t fire on the second line of Golden Pendant betting this season is the Team Hawkes-trained Gangsta Granny at $4.60 out to go one better than her runner-up effort in the Sheraco with the stretch out in trip the only query.
Two other mares follow very closely at an equal quote of $5.50 with Modella coming off a tight win in Wyong’s Listed Mona Lisa Stakes after a big late charge who will be ridden by the airborne Zac Lloyd and the resuming Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Surfin’ Bird having her first Rosehill assignment on Saturday.
Verona Rose at $9.50 meanwhile rounds out the single figure hopes looking the standout value play in the race after Gary Portelli‘s Castelvecchio five-year-old ran out of her skin to cross third to Skyhook first-up here in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes.
The 2026 Golden Pendant is scheduled as Rosehill Race 7 at 3:25pm (AEST) on Saturday’s 10-race card.
2026 Golden Pendant Best Bets
Favourite: No. 1 Lazzura
| 1. Lazzura (4) J: James McDonald 58kg 212×3 T: Chris Waller | |||
| Second run back. First-up after five months sat on speed throughout when 3rd of 8 in the G2 Sheraco Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1200m, 0.6 len behind Savvy Hallie with 58kg at $2.90. Previously second-up favourite; won by a neck in the G1 Coolmore Classic at this track on March 14 over 1500m defeating Arctic Glamour with 58kg at $5. Coolmore winner who can finish over the top of this lot. | |||
Each Way Danger: No. 4 Gangsta Granny
| 4. Gangsta Granny (6) J: Dylan Gibbons 55.5kg 23×62 T: M, W & J Hawkes | |||
| Third-up today and won third-up in the past. Resuming ran second last of 7 in the G2 Missile Stakes at Randwick on August 8 over 1200m, 5.5 len behind Ninja carrying 54.5kg at $3.70. Last start sat on the speed and boxed on steadily 2nd of 8 in the G2 Sheraco Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1200m, long-neck behind Savvy Hallie with 55.5kg at $6. Returned to form last start and looking for the trip. | |||
Best Value: No. 3 Verona Rose
| 3. Verona Rose (7) J: Kerrin Mcevoy 56kg 150×3 T: Gary Portelli | |||
| Second-up. First-up after six months 3rd of 13 in a G2 Theo Marks Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1300m, 1.5 len behind Skyhook carrying 54.5kg at $7. Previously second-up ran on from midfield and won by 0.8 len in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick on February 28 over 1400m on a soft track defeating Manaal with 56kg at $5. Has won second up in the past but the map looks ugly again. | |||
Latest Golden Pendant 2026 Odds
Golden Pendant 2026 Odds
| 1. Lazzura (4) J: James McDonald 58kg 212×3 T: Chris Waller | |||
| Second run back. First-up after five months sat on speed throughout when 3rd of 8 in the G2 Sheraco Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1200m, 0.6 len behind Savvy Hallie with 58kg at $2.90. Previously second-up favourite; won by a neck in the G1 Coolmore Classic at this track on March 14 over 1500m defeating Arctic Glamour with 58kg at $5. Coolmore winner who can finish over the top of this lot. | |||
| 3. Verona Rose (7) J: Kerrin Mcevoy 56kg 150×3 T: Gary Portelli | |||
| Second-up. First-up after six months 3rd of 13 in a G2 Theo Marks Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1300m, 1.5 len behind Skyhook carrying 54.5kg at $7. Previously second-up ran on from midfield and won by 0.8 len in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick on February 28 over 1400m on a soft track defeating Manaal with 56kg at $5. Has won second up in the past but the map looks ugly again. | |||
| 4. Gangsta Granny (6) J: Dylan Gibbons 55.5kg 23×62 T: M, W & J Hawkes | |||
| Third-up today and won third-up in the past. Resuming ran second last of 7 in the G2 Missile Stakes at Randwick on August 8 over 1200m, 5.5 len behind Ninja carrying 54.5kg at $3.70. Last start sat on the speed and boxed on steadily 2nd of 8 in the G2 Sheraco Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1200m, long-neck behind Savvy Hallie with 55.5kg at $6. Returned to form last start and looking for the trip. | |||
| 5. Ahha Ahha (1) J: Jason Collett 55kg x04x8 T: Chris Waller | |||
| Second run back. First-up after three months 8th of 13 in a G2 Theo Marks Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1300m, 3.5 len behind Skyhook carrying 53kg at $51. Previously second-up ran on from midfield; 4th of 17 in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm on June 27 over 1400m, slow going 2.75 len behind Splash Back carrying 57kg at $41. Will need to lift. | |||
| 6. Surfin’ Bird (2) J: Tim Clark 54kg x251x T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |||
| Back from a spell. Finished off last campaign won by nose Eagle Farm Nat Clas Fm-Wfa June 6 over 1600m defeating Churchill’s Choice with 57kg at $4.40. Previously first up; second of 13 at Hawkesbury in the G3 Hawk Crown May 2 over 1300m, a nose behind Chidiac with 56kg at $5. Will sit on the speed and give plenty of cheek. | |||
| 7. Dark Glitter (3) J: Reece Jones 54kg 41666 T: Mick Van Gestel | |||
| Most recently eased back early on 6th of 8 in the G2 Sheraco Stakes at this track on September 12 over 1200m, 2 len behind Savvy Hallie with 54kg at $101. Before that got back early 6th of 11 in a Bm94 at this track on August 1 over 1300m, slow going 1.5 len behind Carbonados with 54kg at $8. Will need to lift over this trip. | |||
| 8. Modella (5) J: Zac Lloyd 54kg 168×1 T: Lee & Cherie Curtis | |||
| Second-up. First-up after five months favourite; was well back until straightening; raced back then made ground from the turn; won by a neck in the LR Mona Lisa Stakes at Wyong on September 4 over 1350m defeating Mrs Maree carrying 56kg at $2.80. Previously second-up favourite; was well back until straightening; raced back then made ground from the turn; won by 1.5 len in a Bm88 at this track on March 14 over 1400m defeating Amreekiyah carrying 55kg at $3.20. Could be looking for further now in | |||
| 2. Apocalyptic (2) Scratched: | |||
| 9. Butternut Princess (8) Scratched: | |||
