After a satisfying Melbourne debut at Caulfield, Mark Newnham is chasing a Group 1 Melbourne Cup Carnival win with Harmony Rose.
The daughter of Glass Harmonium runs in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
After a disappointing 15th in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 2, Harmony Rose made her way south for the Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13.
Leading the field up, Harmony Rose wound up in third place behind the in-form Sirileo Miss.
Newnham said Harmony Rose had come through her introduction to Melbourne racing in good order and was looking forward to seeing the mare at Flemington.
“She was probably a bit of a victim of the old Sydney horse running at Caulfield for the first time,” Newnham said.
“She was on the wrong leg for most of the way, but she was tough, and it was a good, improved run.”
If Harmony Rose performs well on Saturday, Newnham said the mare may back-up the following Saturday in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Newnham said Glen Boss would take the ride on Saturday.
Boss will be hoping for a change of luck since announcing he was coming to Melbourne for the spring.
The three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey was booked to ride Caulfield Cup winner Incentivise through the spring but lost the mount to Brett Prebble when he was forced to leave quarantine in the Northern Territory and return to Sydney.
Boss also lost his Cox Plate mount Sir Dragonet after the horse fractured a leg and was euthanised while on Monday having picked up the ride on Young Werther in the Melbourne Cup it was discovered a minor problem was detected in a mandatory CT which has forced the stayer out of the Cup.
