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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Ciaron Maher believes he has something special in star Godolphin filly Tempted but he says she will need to be every bit as special as he thinks to be the headline act at Rosehill on Saturday.

Tempted faces eight colts as she strives to be the first filly to win the Group 1 $1m Yulong Golden Rose (1400m) in its usual spring slot – Forensics won the race in the 2007/08 season but it was run in the autumn due to equine influenza.

Trainer Ciaron Maher (Pic: Steve Hart)

She dazzled Maher with her first-up win for his stable in the Run To The Rose (1200m) two weeks ago and he suspects what she showed that day could be the tip of the iceberg as he eyes his first win in the three-year-old feature.

“That’s what she’d shown us, she was already a very well credentialed filly, she trialled very well and her work was first class at home so I wasn’t surprised but was certainly delighted to see it,’’ he said.

“On ratings to go from what she did as a two-year-old, which was up there with the best of them, and then to rate where she did on her return run was pretty exciting.

“There’s no reason why she wouldn’t continue to improve.”

Tempted vaulted into favouritism for the Golden Rose with her easy first-up win, she was $2.80 with TAB on Thursday, but there are two variables she’ll need to overcome to beat the colts again.

Jockey Ethan Brown will need to navigate the right path from barrier eight in the nine horse field in what will be the filly’s first run over the 1400m.

Maher said he’ll allow Brown to sum the race up for himself – of those two issues he doesn’t see distance as a factor.

“She’s in good order, she seems in very similar shape to what she did first-up,’’ he said.

“The 1400m is a new challenge, she was quite dominant the other day, and it will be a tactical affair I’d imagine.

“Looking at how she ran at 1200m she was strong through the line, you wouldn’t think she’s going to be much different over 1400m.

“Ethan having a sit on her I think is definitely a bonus, he’s riding in very good form and with a lot of confidence and I’m sure he will make the right call.”

Away from Forensics, four fillies have run second in the Golden Rose - In Secret (2022), Champagne Cuddles (2017), Speak Fondly (2015) and Stripper (2008 spring).

A slot in the TAB Everest could be Tempted’s prize for a Golden Rose win with Godolphin one of three slot holders remaining yet to announce their runner. That follows the announcements of Angel Capital (James Harron) and Skybird (Inglis).

Sires’ runner-up State Visit provides Maher with a back-up runner in the Golden Rose and he’s one that is proven at the trip from his exploits in the autumn as a two-year-old.

He ran fifth behind Tempted in the Run To The Rose and while the filly is clearly the top seed Maher said the colt is capable of running a race.

“I thought he was very good. He was drawn a bit wider and had to go further back,’’ he said.

“You’d say 1400m was his best run last time around, whether that was the timing of the preparation for where he peaked.

“We targeted the Sires' and when he went to the next one it quite possibly could have been 1400m was his peak run.”

A setback prevented Group 1 winner Gringotts taking his place in the 7 Stakes last week and Maher is hopeful his spring can get back on track in the Group 3 $250,000 Canadian Club Shannon Stakes (1500m).

He’ll lump the 61kg, which doesn’t concern the trainer, with the class drop from his first-up fifth behind Via Sistina in the Winx Stakes.

“He had that temperature and you never really know until the pressure goes on with those things,’’ Maher said.

Tempted wins the Run To The Rose

“He worked a striding piece on Saturday and strode around again on Tuesday, his work was certainly fine but you’re sort of nervous with that sort of thing. There’s no way of telling until they put the pressure on.”

Ciaron Maher on Juja Kibo (race 3): “He’s very progressive, he’s ticking along the right way and things are going well for him. He was impressive when he went to the 2400m the other day, the first one didn’t go to plan but that wasn’t entirely the jock’s fault. He’s the horse you try and buy in Europe, he’s come out here not too exposed and worked his way through the grades.”

On Piggyback (race 3): “We went up there (to Brisbane) for what we hoped was a win, that was back on top of the ground and she was quite good. She’s had a tougher winter than the other horse but she certainly looks well.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Rose meeting at Rosehill