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An elite field of three olds line up in the Group 2 $200,000 De Bortoli Wines Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday ahead of the official start of Sydney’s spectacular $45 million Everest Carnival.
The reigning Longines Golden Slipper winner Farnan makes his return in the De Bortoli Wines Run To The Rose on Saturday in a field which includes TAB Everest runner and boom Queenslander Rothfire, who has taken a slot with MiRunners.
Saturday's strong nine-race program also includes the Group 2 $200,000 Iron Jack Theo Marks Stakes and Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Sheraco Stakes as many of Australia's biggest stables continue toward major Spring targets.
Farnan trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and ridden by Hugh Bowman is a $2.50 TAB favourite ahead of Rothfire ($4.40 TAB), from the Brisbane stables of Robert Heathcoate and jockey Jim Byrne.
Hawkes Racing colt North Pacific, with James McDonald aboard, is at $4.60 TAB following his last start five-length win in the Up And Coming Stakes.
High-class colts in Peltzer (trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, jockey Kerrin McEvoy) $7.50 TAB and Mamaragan (John Thompson and jockey Nash Rawiller) $8 TAB and dual-Group 1 winner King's Legacy for Peter and Paul Snowden and Jason Collett $18 TAB bring further depth to the cracking field.
Saturday's race will further shape betting in the Group 1 $1 million De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 26 September.
"This field on Saturday is one of the strongest Run To The Rose's we have seen in many years,'' Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering James Ross said.
"Six of the runners on Saturday are also the top six in TAB betting for the De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose with horses such as Farnan, Rothfire and North Pacific also major players in TAB Everest markets."
The Group 2 $200,000 Iron Jack Theo Marks sees Chris Waller trained Funstar open $3.30 TAB favourite with James McDonald aboard, followed at $4 TAB by Special Reward for trainer Kris Lees and jockey Nash Rawiller.
Jockey Glen Boss, who first won a Theo Marks Stakes in 1993, is looking for his fourth win in the race on Crack On Crack On ($26 TAB), who most recently raced in Hong Kong and is now in the Rosehill Gardens stables of Gary and John Moore.
The Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Sheraco Stakes sees another TAB Everest hopeful in Fasika, trained by Joe Pride and ridden by Brenton Avdulla, resume as a $2.50 TAB favourite.
The next in TAB betting in the capacity 16-horse field is Haut Brion Her for Chris Waller and James McDonald at $7.50.
"Saturday's feature racing is exceptional just a week out from the official start of the Australian Turf Club's world-class Everest Carnival," Mr Ross said.
The Rosehill Gardens track was rated a Soft 6 on Thursday morning but is expected to continue to improve over coming days.
A track report recorded on Thursday morning with Rosehill Gardens Racecourse Manager Shaun Patterson can be viewed here:
