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By Ray Hickson

It takes a very smart filly to topple the boys in the Group 2 $300,000 Yulong Run To The Rose (1200m) and the sense from the Ciaron Maher stable is they’ve inherited one in the shape of Tempted.

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Golden Slipper placegetter and impressive Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes winner from the autumn is aiming to be just the second filly, following In Secret in 2022, to win the important Golden Rose lead up at Rosehill on Saturday.

Godolphin has dominated the race winning five of the last six editions with James Cummings, plus Exosphere (2015) and Astern (2016) under John O'Shea and if you count two wins in the Darley colours by Desuetude (2008) and Denman (2009) for Peter Snowden the global giant is eyeing a tenth win in the race.

Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord says the team is enamoured with Tempted and she’s taken to her new surrounds.

“Everything she does at home she’s an ultra professional,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“She’s very mature physically and mentally and her form obviously reads very well.

“On what she did at two, on what she shows at trackwork, we don’t have many horses like her. She looks pretty special.”

Tempted, $5 with TAB on Friday, has had a jump out and one barrier trial since joining the Maher stable and the only query from Gerard-Dubord is the unknown of a wet track.

The filly hasn’t raced on worse than a soft 5 but her trial was on a little more testing ground and Gerard-Dubord said he’d be happy with 1100m on a wet track so any improvement in the surface would add to the confidence around her.

“The way she moves you would think she would handle a wet track,’’ he said.

“Nothing fazes her, she has a smooth action. She switches off, her work is very sharp and she’s a horse that has a great recovery. She’s the kind of horse you couldn’t fault.

“When James (McDonald) jumped off her after the trial he said she’s very sharp. On the track she’s the most beautiful horse to do anything with. She is very exciting.”

Given her sharpness, it was decided Tempted wouldn’t contest the Princess Series and will be aimed at sprints which puts the TAB Everest on the radar, where she’s a $26 chance, as Godolphin is in possession of a slot.

Godolphin also has Beiwacht in the Run To The Rose, with that colt being prepared by Chris Waller.

Maher saddles up Sires’ Produce runner-up State Visit in the Run To The Rose and the positive Gerard-Dubord can give is the colt has furnished with the break since he ran fourth in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

“It’s hard to know where you are with him because he’s a casual colt,’’ he said.

“If you ask him he will respond but he’s not a horse we test at trackwork. He’s had a good base, he’s had a jump out like Tempted did.

“Over that short trip against those horses he needs to improve on his form last prep, we’ll have to ride him quiet and we want to see him strong late. I think second-up you’ll see a better horse.”

Tempted runs second in a Randwick trial on September 2

Johann Gerard Dubord on Juja Kibo (race 3): “He had to make that run around them first time at 2400m on a very heavy track. Now he’s had that run at 2400m it’s just the barrier that’s a bit annoying. He’s going very well, we’ve had an opinion of him since he arrived and he’s kept improving. You can forget his last run and he’ll run very well.”

On Without Peer (race 6): “The form out of his last start gives you a bit of confidence. He has surprised us a bit, but he’s always been a beautiful moving horse. Last prep as a colt he wasn’t showing much, this time he’s kept improving. He’s learning all the time and he will improve as he gets stronger and as he steps up in trip.”

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