A key stallion-making race since it first appeared on the racing calendar, the 2026 Golden Rose remains as attractive as ever.

The race takes place at Rosehill Gardens and is one of the Sydney Spring Carnival’s premier meets. It will take place on Saturday, September 26, with the race going to post at 16:05 AEST.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Guest House to win

Value bet: Under Focus each-way

Long shot: Tron Bolt each-way

Betting Preview

The Golden Rose Stakes is the first three-year-old Group 1 of the spring carnival, with it contested over a distance of 1,400 metres. It has a prize purse of AU$1 million.

It is the second leg of the newly announced "Golden Slam" at Rosehill, with an AU$5 million bonus offered to any horse that can win the Golden Slipper at age two, the Golden Rose at three, and the Golden Eagle as a four-year-old.

With prize money and bonuses like this on the line, it is worth seeing where these races sit among Australia's richest horse races. It is raced at set weight conditions to keep it fair, with three-year-old colts/geldings capped at 56.5kg and three-year-old fillies at 54.5kg.

Betting Markets to Watch

There are 13 runners in the field for the Yulong Golden Rose, with Guest House being priced as a big favourite, having been drawn barrier 5.

The Golden Slipper winner won the 1,100m San Domenico Stakes first-up in track-record time, but this will be his first try over 1,400m. He has also won three of his last five races, making him the in-form horse in this race. The biggest question around Guest House is whether he can make the step up in time.

St Gotthard is one that has received a fair amount of backing ahead of this race because of those questions. He was narrowly beaten by Warwoven in the Run To The Rose and should benefit from that race fitness.

Five of the latest seven Golden Rose winners have come through the Run to the Rose and it provides most of this field (9 of the 13).

Warwoven won the 1,200m Run To The Rose on September 12, holding off favourite St Gotthard by a neck after racing on the speed. His camp always had this upcoming race on their mind, despite it being a step up in distance.

He drew barrier one, which could help him settle handy without spending extra ground. Under Focus has value as a place pick. He has been drawn in barrier four, but his chance in this race will depend on whether he can jump cleanly over the distance.

With the ground expected to be ‘Soft’, he is a horse that has shown that he likes the wet turf, which could give him a chance of finishing in a place. If you are new to place and each-way markets, our guide on how horse racing bets work is a handy starting point.

Our Prediction

Check the latest horse racing betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is that Guest House will likely win. Despite some serious questions about whether he can go the distance, he should bolt up as the form horse.

Our long shot is Tron Bolt. He finished seventh first-up in the Run To The Rose and may improve over 1,400m after ending his two-year-old season with a Group 1 win over 1,600m.

If you are chasing selections beyond the Golden Rose, it is worth checking today's racing tips for expert picks across the rest of the spring carnival card.