The 2016 Run To The Rose nominations have been released and the unbeaten El Divino will make his racing return in the Group 2 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
El Divino and Astern will do battle again in the 2016 The Run To The Rose this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
El Divino captured attention before he even made his racing debut â being the half-brother to star mare Winx â and he has lived up to the hype in his two race starts to date.
The Snitzel colt made with racing debut with a five lengths romp at Gosford on March 17 and he claimed a maiden black-type victory when he dead heated with Astern in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on April 2.
Astern and El Divino will do battle again in the Run To The Rose this weekend, with Astern one of four Godolphin-trained gallopers in the nominations.
He could be joined in The Run To The Rose field by the lightly-raced Impending, Sires Produce Stakes runner-up Telperion and Canonbury Stakes winner Tessera.
Another stable with multiple runners in The Run To The Rose nominations is that of Chris Waller, who has included both Cellarman and Nikitas in the initial entries.
Cellarman was sent to the spelling paddock following his victory in the Listed Wintergarden Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Handicap Day, while Nikitas will make his debut for Waller after being transferred from the care of Kelso Wood.
The San Domenico Stakes is one of the traditional lead-up to The Run To The Rose and winner Star Turn has been included in the nominations for the $175,000 event.
Star Turn was not beaten far in both the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and he was nothing short of outstanding when he returned to racing in the San Domenico Stakes.
One of the most interesting horses in The Run To The Rose nominations is James Cummings-trained Good Standing.
Good Standing ran serious time to take out the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 27 in just his second race start and he did not have a great deal of luck in either the Golden Slipper or the Sires Produce Stakes.
The 2016 Run To The Rose nominations are rounded out by Paul Perry-trained Gadfly, Quezette Stakes runner-up Leotie, the lightly-raced Lilac Lane, kiwi colt Manolo Blahniq and The Rosebud runner-up Mediterranean.