Golden Rose picture comes into focus with 249 first acceptances

Written by Kit Gow

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

First acceptances for the 2025 G1 Golden Rose Stakes were released this week, with 249 horses making it to this step on the road to one of the most valuable spring Group 1s for 3-year-olds. Running on September 27 at Royal Randwick, the final Golden Rose field will whittle that number down to 18 plus four emergencies.

Which sire is the most represented?

I Am Invincible and previous Golden Rose winner Zoustar lock horns at the top of the entries with 22 each, including G3 Vain Stakes victor Jimmy Recard and G1 Sires' Produce Stakes winner Vinrock for I Am Invincible and the promising Space Rider for Zoustar.

Table: Top 10 most represented sires in the 2025 G1 Golden Rose Stakes first acceptors

Wootton Bassett (GB) comes in third with 17 entries, including the unbeaten Agarwood who is set to resume in the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes this Saturday, pending rainfall.

The sire of two Golden Rose winners with In The Congo and Trapeze Artist, Snitzel has 14 entries, including G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Marhoona, Blitzburg, and the exciting Beadman.

Farnan is the most represented second season sire, and the only one with double digit nominations; stakes winners North England and King Of Pop are primed for a return to Group 1 level.

Bivouac and Ole Kirk, both Golden Rose winners in their time, tie for second in the same category; Bivouac’s seven entries include Group 2 winner Beiwacht, and Ole Kirk has unbeaten Group 3 winner Legacy Bound amongst his.

Colts dominate in gender split

Traditionally, the Golden Rose is a stallion-making race - the last 13 winners have gone to stand at stud, with 2011 winner Manawanui (Oratorio {Ire}) being the most recent gelding to win - it still falls on the radar of some fillies, with Forensics (Flying Spur) being the most recent filly winner in 2007.

Eighty four fillies have put their name down to follow in her footsteps, with almost exactly double the number of colts getting through the first round of acceptances.

Table: Gender split in first acceptances for the 2025 Golden Rose Stakes

Who has the most acceptances?

Reigning Golden Slipper-winning trainer Michael Freedman leads the nominations by organisation, with 30 to hand; he has yet to win a Golden Rose, but co-trained Newgate stallion Tiger Of Malay to run sixth by two lengths in In The Congo’s Rose. Aside from Marhoona, he has also nominated Listed Rosebud runner-up Pallaton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and $160,000 Clarendon Stakes winner Aerodrome (Ole Kirk).

Table: Top 10 organisations or trainers by number of 2025 Golden Rose Stakes first acceptors

Chris Waller, who has won the event three times with Zoustar, The Autumn Sun, and Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), comes in next with 17 entries, including G1 JJ Atkins Plate fourth-placegetter Providence (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

Following him in numbers is Hawkes Racing with 15; the team most recently triumphed in the race with Ole Kirk in 2020, and this year's selections are led by G1 Champagne Stakes winner Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}).

Godolphin have been the acceptors for their own nominations, which means some trainers could have more chances to capture the Rose. Their 14-strong cohort include the juvenile Group winners Tempted (Street Boss {USA}), Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}), and Beiwacht. Five of the past 13 editions of the Golden Rose have been won by Godolphin horses - Broadsiding was the winner last spring, and the organisation celebrated back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016 with Exosphere and Astern.