2026 GOLDEN ROSE: Preview & Tips
2026 GOLDEN ROSE DETAILS
DATE: Saturday September 26
VENUE: Rosehill Gardens
DISTANCE: 1400m
CONDITIONS: G1 3YO: Set Weights
PRIZE MONEY: $1 million
A million dollars, a coveted G1 title and the chance to emerge as Australia’s next 3YO star await in the 24th running of the Golden Rose over 1400m.
The Golden Rose traces its origins to 1978, when it was first run over 1400m as the Peter Pan Stakes, named in honour of champion racehorse PETER PAN and won by KAPALARAN. The race held G2 status until 2002 before being relaunched as the Golden Rose, carrying $1 million in prizemoney despite initially being unlisted. After progressing through the grades, the Golden Rose was elevated to G1 status in 2009.
The Golden Rose honour roll is littered with elite talent, with BROADSIDING (2024), THE AUTUMN SUN (2018), TRAPEZE ARTIST (2017), EXOSPHERE (2015), EPAULETTE (2012) and the legendary KINGSTON TOWN (1979) among its notable winners.
Remarkably, only one Filly has ever conquered the Golden Rose, with FORENSICS making history in 2008.
Check out the latest edition of 'The Clockers' featuring last weekend's G1s at Caulfield...
YULONG GOLDEN ROSE - 1400M
1 31X1 GUEST HOUSE Zac Lloyd (5) $2.30
2 12X7 CAMPIONE D’ITALIA Ben Melham (7) $26
3 11X7 TRON BOLT Damian Lane (11) $9.50
4 6X51 WARWOVEN Rachel King (1) $5
5 11X2 ST GOTTHARD James McDonald (9) $5
6 22X0 CORMIER Aaron Bullock (6) $81
7 5X68 BERZELIUS Nash Rawiller (8) $71
8 83X2 STORMY MARCO Craig Williams (12) $41
9 3X63 UNDER FOCUS Dylan Gibbons (4) $9.50
10 3X34 CENTRAL EUROPE Tim Clark (13) $17
11 X319 PLAGIARISM Regan Bayliss (3) $101
12 145 CASTILLO KING Tommy Berry (10) $41
13 4X13 TENENBAUM Chad Schofield (2) $101
WHO'S HOT? — TRAINER/JOCKEY CHAT
James McDonald and Zac Lloyd enter the Golden Rose as the two hottest jockeys in the race, with both riding 13 winners from their last 50 rides at an outstanding 26% strike rate. McDonald’s recent form is slightly above his already elite 25% strike rate across his last 350 rides, where he has accumulated 89 winners and almost $27 million in prizemoney, highlighting his remarkable consistency at the top level. McDonald partners second favourite ST GOTTHARD, adding further confidence to the lightly raced contender’s chances. Lloyd is enjoying an equally impressive purple patch, with his current 26% strike rate well above his 21% return across his last 350 rides. That sharp rise suggests Lloyd is riding at the peak of his powers, and he gets the opportunity to continue that outstanding run aboard Golden Rose favourite GUEST HOUSE.
Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich and Bjorn Baker bring two of the hottest stables into the Golden Rose. Messara and Gavranich lead the way with 16 winners from their last 50 starters at an outstanding 32% strike rate, improving on their already impressive 27% return across their last 350 runners, and they saddle up CORMIER. Baker is also flying, producing 13 winners from his last 50 starters at 26%, a significant jump from his longer-term strike rate of 18% across his last 350. That upward trend makes Baker’s runner, WARWOVEN, an intriguing Golden Rose contender with the stable clearly operating at a high level heading into the G1.
PAST WINNERS & TRENDS SINCE 1991 |
 |
GOLDEN ROSE TRENDS, STATISTICS + FAVOURITES RECORD
Favourites have hardly dominated, with only 6 successful since 2003 and just two winning in the past 9 years, including BROADSIDING in 2024. Following the Favourite has also hurt the hip pocket - a $100 bet each year since 2003 would have returned just $1,605, representing a $795 loss. Instead, the market sweet spot appears to sit between $4.40 and $7.50, accounting for 9 of the last 12 non-Favourite winners. Genuine blowouts are rare, with only 4 double-figure winners and none since TRAPEZE ARTIST stunned at $41 in 2017.
Barrier position is another major pointer. Gates 1 to 4 have produced 11 winners across the past 24 editions, including 4 of the last 5, while no horse has won from a double-digit gate since 2017. Winners do not necessarily need to race prominently, with 7 of the past 11 winners between 6th and 11th at the turn for home.
The Run To The Rose remains the premier lead-up, with 10 of the past 14 Golden Rose winners contesting it beforehand. 3 of the last 4 winners coming through that race finished second, while 10 of the past 14 Golden Rose winners placed in their final lead-up. BIVOUAC in 2019 remains the last horse to complete the Run To The Rose-Golden Rose double.
Golden Slipper winners have found the transition difficult, with just one victory from 5 attempts, and the other 4 finishing unplaced. The race has also proven a significant stepping stone towards the Caulfield Guineas, with 8 of the past 12 Caulfield Guineas winners having contested the Golden Rose, most recently AUTUMN BOY in 2025.
Another fascinating quirk is Saddlecloth 1, which has remarkably won the past three Golden Roses, while Numbers 6 and 9 remain winless.
WHAT HISTORY SAYS WINS
✓ $7.50 or below
✓ Barrier 1-4
✓ Midfield or off-pace
✓ Coming out of the Run To The Rose
✕ Double-digit odds
✕ Wide barrier
✕ Numbers 6 and 9
2026 BEST FIT: 4. WARWOVEN $5
The former Golden Slipper favourite fits the winning profile perfectly, opening at $5 from the prized inside draw in Barrier 1 and likely to stalk the speed from midfield. Fresh from a tough and impressive victory in the Run To The Rose, WARWOVEN now looks primed to become just the seventh horse to complete the coveted Run To The Rose-Golden Rose double.
Want access to FREE G1 Form Guides like this every week? → JOIN FREE
NIC ASHMAN'S SPEED MAP & ANALYSIS
GUEST HOUSE gets his chance. He won a brutally-run Golden Slipper over 1200m, suggesting 1400m should be within reach, though 1100m to 1400m second-up is a slight concern. The draw helps. TRON BOLT had the best last 200m of the Run To The Rose and remains in the mix despite the draw. UNDER FOCUS was too far back there but maps much better here.
$100 WIN GUEST HOUSE
WANT THE FULL TBF EDGE? |
Works Burger members get everything we produce each week: |
✓ Deeper G1 analysis |
✓ Every Metro Track Report in Australia |
✓ TBF Pub Sheet |
✓ Bet Sheets & Review sheets |
✓ Nic Ashman's tips |
7 DAY FREE TRIAL |
2025 GOLDEN ROSE RESULT
1ST BEIWACHT $8.50
2ND WODETON $4.40
3RD TEMPTED $3
GET THE TRACK REPORTS + BET SHEETS FOR EVERY METRO TRACK THIS SATURDAY VIA THE FREE TRIAL BELOW
Comments