By John Holloway
The Golden Rose, Sydney's first group 1 race of the new season, has made dramatic inroads in Australia's breeding industry since its inception in 2006 and will continue to at Rosehill on Saturday week.
The "Rose" has joined the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Guineas and Coolmore Stakes as one of the four foremost stallion-making races in the country and is worthy of carrying a $1 million bounty.
From Golden Rose winner to the breeding barn: 2009 winner Denman.Credit: Jenny Evans
The Sydney Turf Club made the decision to introduce the Golden Rose a decade ago and used their major event, the Golden Slipper, as part of the attraction, with the early nomination fee applying to both races.
They also moved the race from the autumn to the spring with the view of strengthening their carnival races leading into the Melbourne spring. The race also now serves as a springboard into the Caulfield Guineas.
The first running in 2006 went to Newcastle colt Court Command and he had his stud career in Queensland, nothing spectacular by any standards, which also applied to Excites, who was fourth in the race.
However, there was another future stallion to hail from the initial Golden Rose named Casino Prince, who was to give Nathan Tinkler his first group 1 winner. He is also the sire of the champion All Too Hard, who was a $1.05 million yearling purchase by the Patinack Farm founder.
The Golden Rose was run twice in 2008 after the 2007 spring event was cancelled due to the equine influenza outbreak. The first in the autumn was won by the filly Forensics and there were three future stallions who were unplaced in the race – Turffontein, Road To Rock and Zizou.
The spring race was won by Duporth, with All American fourth, and both are enjoying successful stud careers at Kitchwin Hills and Arrowfield Stud respectively.
The 2009 Golden Rose saw Denman score convincingly from Trusting and Stryker and all three placegetters are currently at stud. The three placegetters from 2010's event were Toorak Toff, Squamosa and Ilovethiscity, and this trio is also in the process of stud careers.
There was another stallion to hail from that race, the Fastnet Rock colt Hinchinbrook, who could manage only 13th place, but this has hardly prevented him from a hugely successful place on Yarraman Park's roster.
Hinchinbrook, in fact, was to become the leading first-season stallion in the just completed 2014-15 racing year and has a full book this year.
In 2011, the gelding Manawanui scored a narrow win and the three horses finishing behind the Ron Leemon-trained sprinter were Smart Missile, Helmet and Foxwedge who have all embarked on brilliant careers and whose first runners will be seen this season.
In 2012, the Darley-owned and bred duo of Epaulette and Albrecht provided the quinella and are both among their huge stallion line-up, with Your Song (8th) and Shamexpress (9th) standing at Widden Stud and New Zealand respectively.
The next edition of the Rose was won by Chris Waller's wonderful speedstar Zoustar, who beat Dissident, and all told there will be six future sires to hail from the race – the others being Sidestep, Eurozone and War, while Criterion will be retiring to stud in 2016.
Last year's race went to Hallowed Crown, with Shooting To Win coming in third. The race was obviously held in high regard by the Darley camp, who bought both horses and will be standing the duo at their Aberdeen base this year.
Already there are two three-year-old's lining up on Saturday week which have already been bought by two of NSW's major studs. The colts are Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, who will retire to Coolmore after his racing days are finished, with group 1 winner Press Statement going to Vinery.
Darley will likely have three runners – Exosphere, Shards and Holler – who are being eyed off for future stud careers, with Melbourne colt Gold Symphony, the McNeil Stakes winner at Caulfield last Saturday, also tipped to line up for group 1 glory.
SHEIKH'S CONTRIBUTION
Sheikh Mohammed's Darley/Goldolphin group have contributed so much to world racing, with one of the major introductions being the Flying Start program which started a decade ago.
A large contingent of Australians have been fortunate enough to gain access to Flying Start, which has a two-year term with training at the major racing centres around the world.
The Australians include Stuart Boman, who is a director of the Blandford Bloodstock group in the UK; Adrian Bott (Gai Waterhouse racing manager); Henry Field (Newgate Farm director); Craig Rounsefell (Boomer Bloodstock) and Eden Harrington (China Horse Club).
Sheikh Mohammed this week made another contribution to Australian racing in conjunction with Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, putting up $100,000. There are a total of six awards on offer and Darley's Australian manager, Henry Plumptre, said: "Godolphin is very proud to sponsor the inaugural Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards," he said.
There are a number of leading Sydney trainers being ambassadors, including Gai Waterhouse and Ron Quinton.