New season 3yo stars among 2016 The Run To The Rose nominations

New season three year old stars Astern, Impending, El Divino and Star Turn are among the nominations for the 2016 Group 2 $175,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

San Domenico Stakes winner Star Turn, above, is among the nominations for The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

San Domenico Stakes winner Star Turn, above, is among the nominations for The Run To The Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

With only fourteen three year olds entered for the The Run To The Rose, the Australian Turf Club has elected to extend the nominations until 11am on Tuesday, August 23, 2016.

The Team Hawkes trained Star Turn created a huge impression with a first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 13 and has been installed the equal $4.60 favourite with the John O’Shea trained Impending at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Impending is a winner of one race from two starts, scoring on debut in a 1100m Rosehill two year old Handicap before running third in the Group 3 $125,000 Jaguar XJ Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.

The Lonhro colt is shaping up nicely for his return to the race track and was a handy barrier trial winner over 1000m at Warwick Farm on August 12.

Impending’s stablemate Astern ($5) is set to clash again the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained El Divino ($5) after the pair dead heated in the Group 3 $200,000 Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on April 2.

Both colts were spelled after the Kindergarten Stakes and both have pleased their stables in the lead up to their return to the race track.

Astern was super impressive in winning a 1050m Randwick barrier trial on August 19 while El Divino looked in top order underneath Hugh Bowman in an exhibition gallop in between races at Randwick last Saturday on the back on two barrier trials.

“I didn’t get much of a feel of him in his second barrier trial because the ground was dreadful and he wasn’t overly comfortable,” Bowman said.

“I was reluctant to push him in that trial but I was pleased with him back on top of the ground today (Saturday), he’s ready to go.”

O’Shea has also nominated Telperion and Tessara with both colts also showing plenty of ability during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Telperion was runner up to Yankee Rose in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 2 while Tessara was a winner of the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 30 before running fourth to Kiss And Make Up in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 5.

Golden Slipper winning trainers Peter and Paul Snowden has nominated Smart Missile colt Mediterranean, James Cummings has entered Good Standing while leading trainer Chris Waller has Cellarman and Nikitas among the nominations for The Run To The Rose.

Early market order for The Run To The Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Impending, Star Turn, $5 Astern, El Divino, $6 Mediterranean, $10 Good Standing, Telperion, $21 Leotie, $31 Manolo Blahniq, $35 Nikita, $41 Cellarman, Tessara, $101 Gadfly, $151 Lilac Lane.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.