Favourite Exosphere has drawn gate two for Saturday’s Group 1 De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill.
A final field of just nine accepted on Tuesday for the $1million three-year-old showpiece over 1400 metres.
Exosphere, winner of the Run To The Rose last start, is one of three John O’Shea-trained runners with stablemates Shards drawing gate six and Holler in barrier five.
James McDonald goes onto Exosphere for the Golden Rose with Joao Moreira on Up and Coming Stakes winner Shards and the in-form Sam Clipperton riding Holler.
Chris Waller’s Group 1 winner Press Statement drew gate three for Tye Angland while Peter Moody’s Melbourne visitor Gold Symphony came up with the rails draw and will be ridden by Tommy Berry.
Gai Waterhouse’s Speak Fondly, the lone filly in the race, will jump from gate four with Brett Prebble aboard.
Speak Fondly has won both of her starts this spring including a dominant display in last Saturday’s Furious Stakes.
Jim Cassidy will ride Sebring Sun, Gary Portelli’s winner of The Rosebud drawing gate seven.
Team Hawkes runner Rageese drew the outside gate for Brenton Avdulla while Ron Quinton’s Let’s Make It Rain drew alongside in eight and will be ridden by Tim Clark.
Following the draw Exosphere was a clear Golden Rose favourite with TAB fixed odds betting at $2.90 ahead of Press Statement at $3.80.
Speak Fondly has been the big mover in the last few days since her place in the field was confirmed and is now a $5.50 chance.
All other runners are at double figure odds headed by Holler at $11, Shards at $12, Gold Symphony and Sebring Sun at $15 and Let’s Make It Rain and Rageese both at $17.
