The Autumn Sun will be back at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day.

Relive five of the most memorable Golden Rose moments

24 September, 2021

In the lead up to Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) we relive five of the most memorable editions of the race.

* Vision courtesy Sky Racing

2018 – The Autumn Sun

Without doubt, The Autumn Sun is one of the best horses to win the Golden Rose.

The Chris Waller-trained colt made it four wins from five starts when storming home from last to overhaul his stablemate Zousain.

“I don’t need to say too much, The Autumn Sun is a very good horse, as you saw,” winning trainer Chris Waller said.

“In the last 200m you realise they’re my ‘boys’ and they are going to fight out the finish. But I think Zousain has been beaten by a pretty special colt in The Autumn Sun.”

The Autumn Sun retired at the end of his three-year-old season the winner of eight from nine starts with earnings of more than $3.4 million.

He won five times at Group 1 level, including his last start when claiming the Rosehill Guineas.

Three days later Arrowfield Stud announced the death of The Autumn Sun’s sire, super stallion Redoute’s Choice.

In the spring of 2019, The Autumn Sun covered his first book of mares at Arrowfield at a service fee of $77,000 (inc GST).

2013 – Zoustar

Zoustar gave champion trainer Chris Waller his first win in the Golden Rose in 2013.

The son of Northern Meteor was having his second start in Group 1 company after being beaten into second in the JJ Atkins at the end of his juvenile season.

Zoustar overcame a three wide run to win and give champion rider Jim Cassidy his 99th Group 1 win.

“I was backing the horse’s ability and mine – I knew Chris had done his job but the rest was up to me and the horse,” Cassidy said.

“I knew if I could nurse him and put him in the race at the 400 … I thought I’d count to 10 and wait, but I got an itchy arse and said I’m going for home.”

Waller added; “He’s a serious colt, a valuable colt now. Geez he’s got a big future.”

Zoustar trained on to the win the Roman Consul Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes later that spring.

He retired at the end of his three-year-old season winning six of his nine starts and is now one of Australia’s most in demand stallions, standing at Widden Stud for $154,000 (inc GST).

2009 – Denman

The Lonhro colt was the first horse to win the Golden Rose at Group 1 level in 2009.

The win was his first at Group 1 level and his fifth from six starts.

Denman came from midfield and charged to a dominant victory as a $2.40 favourite to give his trainer Peter Snowden a second success in the race since taking over the training operation for his employer Darley just over two years prior. 

“I was very confident, frighteningly confident and I was awake at 2.00am waiting for the alarm to go off,” he said.

“He is a very talented horse and he still has more to come, a really talented horse.”

Denman went on to win nine of his 12 starts but didn’t win another Group 1, beaten in both the Caulfield and Australian Guineas before he was retired at the end of his three-year-old season.

2008 – Forensics

Forensics is the only filly to have beaten the boys in the Golden Rose and she won the only edition of the race held in the autumn.

In the 2007/08 season, the race was delayed due to the 2007 outbreak of Equine Influenza.

Forensics was winless during the spring of her three-year-old season in Melbourne but returned to Sydney for the autumn and won three of her four starts in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes, Group 2 Golden Rose and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf before failing in the Doncaster Mile.

Forensics defeated her stablemate El Cambio to give trainer Peter Snowden one of his first feature race winners.

“I’m really rapt and to get the quinella in a million-dollar race is fantastic,” Snowden said.

“I didn’t think there was much between the two horses, but Forensics had such a bad barrier (13) and I thought that would tell against her.

“She gets back and to give horses like that eight or nine lengths on the turn, she is amazing.”

Forensics retired winning seven of her 19 starts, earning more than $3.5 million with her biggest win coming in the 2007 Golden Slipper.

She won the Queen Of The Turf at three before claiming a third Group 1 success as a four-year-old in the Empire Rose Stakes.

2003 – In Top Swing

The Noel Mayfield-Smith trained In Top Swing holds the distinction of winning the first running of the Golden Rose.

The Golden Rose replaced the Sydney Turf Club’s Group 2 Peter Pan Stakes, getting a major cash injection and was open to horses nominated for the Golden Slipper.

The Golden Rose became Sydney’s only million-dollar race of the spring.

In Top Swing was a $19 outsider and charged home from near the tail of the field under Hugh Bowman to write him name into the record books.

“He’s a good horse,” Bowman said. “Last start he (In Top Swing) got trapped wide and ran a good race. Today I got a bit of cover.

“A bit of luck goes a long way.”

In Top Swing went on to win the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas two starts later and retired having won three of his 12 starts with earnings of more than $1.5 million.

– Clinton Payne, racenet.com.au