Flowing from part-one of our James Squire Golden Rose story, it was what Bill Picken wanted to hear when STC President Jim Fleming stated ‘That’s got legs – I’ll support it.’
In ‘Bill Picken Championed the $1m Golden Rose’ it seen that the $1m Golden Rose Stakes is not only a valuable Group 1 3YO event, but also so valuable to our thoroughbred industry.
“Saturday sees the 22nd Golden Rose,” said Bill Picken, “and as its reputation as first class stallion-making event will we see another Zoustar or The Autumn Sun being first past the post.”
“With the high standard of our breeding that Saturday’s two of the three main betting favourites Braodsiding and Storm Boy are sired by two of the world’s champion first season sires in Too Darn Hot and Justify.”
“The 2013 Rose winner Zoustar also won the Coolmore Stud Stakes, and being Champion First Season Sire has always topped the annual sires’ listings, and this year Joliestar is his best earner.”
“Trapeze Artist, our 2017 winner, was last reason’s Leading Second Crop Sire with Griff winning the Caulfield Guineas, and Vinery’s Ole Kirk had his first yearlings sell for $1m at the Gold Coast.”
“The 2018 winner The Autumn Sun is certainly a sire of the future as in his first crop he had Autumn Angel win the Australian Oaks, Coco Sun the SA Derby and Vibrant Sun the Australian Oaks.”
“Militarize was excellent in winning last year having also won the Inglis Sires and Champagne Stakes at two, and this his first season at Newgate Farm stands beside 2021 winner In The Congo.”
Yes Bill Picken, the Golden Rose Stakes has certainly come a long way from when first run, in originally being the Group 2 Peter Pan Stakes for 3yo’s run over 1500m, usually in the Autumn.
Reduced in distance to 1400m suitable for early season 3yo’s, and prizemoney raising to $1 million, it was the Beautiful Crown sired gelding In Top Swing who won the first running in 2003.
Unable to inherit the Group 2 status of the Peter Pan Stakes due to the name change, it was first run as an un-Listed race, and in the next five years jumped to Listed, Group 3, 2 and Group 1.
In the early running being dominated by geldings, that in 2009 when first run at Group 1 it was won by the Darley home-bred Denman, who in shuttling to Britain now stands at Twin Hills Stud.
In also being the winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes, its Zoustar who has become so influential in our industry that last season he was Leading Sire of 3YO’s, and second as the Champion Sire.
In Joliestar, Zoughotza, Ozzmosis and Climbing Star being last season’s Group 1 winners he’s sired the winners of $23.8m, with his Prompt Response filly making $2.2m at Inglis Easter Yearlings.
The former Champion 3YO Colt The Autumn Sun was the season talk-horse with Autumn Angel, Coco Sun and Valient Sun as first-crop classic winners, and was second as Leading Second Crop Sire.
In a racing career of winning five Group 1’s including the Golden Rose in 2018, this year his 16 yearlings averaged $246,000 at auction and in 2022 his The Autumn Belle as a yearling made S2.2m.
Also a Champion 3YO Colt, the multi-Group 1 winner Trapeze Artist finished ahead of The Autumn Sun as Leading Second Crop Sire, with Griff his Group 1 winner and Group 3 Facile and Ducasse.
The 2016 Rose winner Astern, who stands beside World Champion Sprinter and Rose winner Bivouac at Darley Kelvinside, had an excellent season building on his first-season Group 1 success.
Now the 2005 winner Hallowed Crown, who had Collette win $6m, is at Twin Hills Stud, with Exosphere at Oaklands Stud, Toorak Toff at Kingsley Stud and Epaulette the Turkey National Stud.
In fact, with no Golden Rose winner is yet to sire a winner of the $1m Golden Rose Stakes, while Forensics in 2008 is the only Golden Rose Golden Slipper winner, and only filly to win the Rose.