Classy Bart Cummings-trained colt Eurozone impressed with a fast finishing effort in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Royal Randwick this morning.

Eurozone continues to impress on the road to the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill on September 14. Photo by: Steve Hart

Eurozone was given a fairly quiet trial but made up a lot of ground late, without being asked for an effort by jockey Hugh Bowman, to finish third behind Kuroshio and Never Can Tell.

Kuroshio and Never Can Tell cleared away from the rest of the field early, with Kuroshio too strong for his rival in the final stages of the race.

Triple Group 1 winner Appearance was given a very quiet trial and looks as though she is still a while away from beginning her 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign that will include an attempt to become the first ever back-to-back winner of the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m).

Chris Waller-trained Metal Bender made his first official at a racetrack since winning the 2012 Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and was also given a quiet trial.

Eurozone stamped himself as a Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) contender with impressive victories in the Become An ATC Sponsor Plate (1100m) at Canterbury and the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.

Co-trainer James Cummings told Racing Ahead yesterday that the son of Northern Meteor still has plently of improvement ahead of him and will likely go into the Golden Rose with a couple more runs under his belt.

“He is more confident in himself but at the same time he is still at that point in his preparation where he is still on the upward spiral and we haven’t gotten to the bottom of him yet,” Cummings said on RSN.

“It is a really exciting time for his owners.

“We will probably give him a couple of runs into the Golden Rose and hopefully enter the race with a fair bit of match fitness.”

James Cummings’ training partnership with his legendary Grandfather officially started yesterday and Eurozone is likely to be their first Group 1 runner together.