Tempted has become just the second filly to win The Run To The Rose, producing a scintillating performance to put herself in the frame for some of the biggest races of the Sydney spring.
Trainer Ciaron Maher confirmed the Golden Rose (1400m) and The Everest (1200m) were both on the table after she dominated a stellar field that included five of the first seven horses across the line in the Golden Slipper.
“What she has been showing us is far better than anything else I had in Sydney so I was quite confident today. She was very impressive, wasn’t she?” Maher said.
“It is a crack field. It’s good to have good decisions to make.
“I’ll have a chat to the team but I’d say she’s got a lot of options. She could go a number of different ways but given how she put them away it would be very attractive.”
In Secret is the only other filly with her name on The Run To The Rose honour roll, claiming it in 2022 before finishing second in the Golden Rose and then taking out the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.
Like Tempted, she was owned by Godolphin and while they didn’t take her to The Everest that year, Maher felt his charge wouldn’t be out of place in the $20 million showpiece.
“They’re a great team. I’ve only been dealing with them for a short time but they’ll make the right call,” he said.
“It probably wouldn’t be beyond her. Three-year-olds have a pretty good record. The fillies haven’t done as well as the colts but she might be one out of the box.”
Tempted ($3.90 fav) found a trailing position and showed an explosive turn of foot in the straight to beat Beiwacht ($7.50) by 1-1/2 lengths with Skyhook ($5.50) warming up late to grab third another half-head away.
Wodeton ($8) also found the line nicely after getting back, as did fifth placegetter and the winner’s stablemate State Visit ($71) with both Golden Rose-bound.
Adam Hyeronimus on runner-up Beiwacht said he was surprised another horse was able to go past him but questioned whether his mount would handle the extra 200m of the Golden Rose.
“I wasn’t expecting a horse to go past us that quick at the furlong. She has run really well the filly,” Hyeronimus said.
“I do think he’s going to maybe be a risk going to the Golden Rose over seven furlongs. That will all depend on the race shape.”
