2026 Golden Rose Day Tips & Preview

BETTER LATE (7) presents a compelling case with James McDonald booked to ride for the first time. 

Nathan Doyle’s lightly raced four-year-old has been consistent through three starts this prep, winning two back at Newcastle, before leading for most of the way here over 1200m up until his final few strides. 

His stablemate got the better of him late in a similar Midway race, but he maps to adopt similar front-running tactics this time from a wide gate. Fitter now and still racing well, he’ll be hard to catch. 

GIDDY UP GRIFF (6) looks a top contender with close to four weeks between runs. 

The son to Exceedance handled the step up in class quite well here last time out over 100m shorter, settling a long way back before charging home late to grab a distant second to hat-trick winner Zalique.  

He’ll be suited by wet or dry ground on Saturday and figures to be prominent in the finish again with barrier 2 offering Jason Collett every opportunity to settle off the speed.  

This feels like a bit of a target race for BELLA MONTAGNA (2).  

The Waterhouse/Bott mare continues to race well without winning, knuckling down to run third in the Newcastle Cup last week where she was squeezed late between a pair.  

The 2400m trip is her go in life with a win to her name and it’s worth mentioning the blinkers go on now for the first time. Tim Clark pilots from barrier 4 in a compact Colin Stephen Quality field and the pair map to do little work in the early stages. 

STARZINTHEIREYES (3) was a good thing beaten fresh at Randwick over the mile a few weeks ago.  

He faced the breeze out of the turn and let rip with a sensational turn of foot, simply to be outdone by The Mona Lisa, who responded to the challenge well for a very narrow win. 

Watching them run through the line, this son to Starspangledbanner kept going and clearly wants further, and with some good second-up form to his name and a nice soft gate, everything stacks up well. 

Keen to stick with DECORUM (6) here second-up. 

The way he won fresh over 1200m a few weeks ago was arrogant in my opinion, shifting out from a pocket around midfield approaching the furlong, and really accelerating hard to go over two lengths clear.  

The runner-up Unleeshing ran another ripper race last Saturday and we’ve seen this son to Snitzel string together a few wins on the trot. Draws to switch off again from barrier 3 and should be hard to hold out.  

OMOLONG (3) hasn’t shown much in two recent trials, but I feel like we saw enough from him over the winter to know what he’s all about.  

Chris Waller’s colt showcased a slick turn of foot to bolt in a length clear on debut at Warwick Farm, going one better up in grade here over the track/trip 10 days later where his late speed again did the talking. 

He was quickly put away in time for the spring, and although this is the toughest assignment he’s faced, the booking of James McDonald should help his chances enormously. 

LAZZURA (1) is close to picking herself here in the Golden Pendant.  

On class alone she appears to have lengths on most of these, having won the Coolmore Classic back in March, following that effort up with a huge run in the All Aged Stakes when a narrow second to Beiwacht.  

There was lots to like about the way she gave chase fresh in the Sheraco Stakes for third, and with the rise in trip suiting perfectly, she’ll be very hard to beat.  

GUEST HOUSE (1) was outstanding on return winning the San Domenico Stakes in record time, a race he probably could have won by much more after finding himself in a tough spot along the rail at one point. 

Once clear, his turn of foot did the talking to win by more than a length, an encouraging performance in his first run back since winning the Golden Slipper. 

Yes, this is a sharp rise to 1400m, but everything about his most recent win suggests he’ll handle it comfortably.  

Best horse in the race for mine, and providing he can find a stalking position early off the speed, I think he’s hard to beat.  

SKYHOOK (2) has gone up short odds having won the Theo Marks Stakes in fine style first-up.  

The Written Tycoon entire picked up well down the middle of the straight to win by more than a length, seemingly finding top gear over the final 100m or so with most of his rivals failing to threaten.  

This is his first go at 1500m but with a win over the mile and a much better barrier at his disposal this time, he looks to be one of the better bets on the day. 

MERCY ME (15) is a mare with a bit of upside resuming for Nathan Doyle and connections.  

She strung three wins together on the trot to open her career at the midweeks, before stepping up to Stakes level at Scone in mid-May where she was far from disgraced running second in a big field.  

That effort came before a total forgive on Queensland Oaks Day at Eagle Farm to round out her prep, which she clearly has forgotten all about with two solid trial performances leading into her return.  

Regan Bayliss sticks in the irons and from a middle gate, the pair map to find the box seat in behind the speed nice and early.