While the spotlight is firmly fixed on Saturday's Group II Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill, history says the other three-year-old race on the program is likely to produce a spring Group I winner.
For the past five years, a 1400 metre benchmark 69-75 three-year-old contest has been held on Run To The Rose day and the resulting formlines have been remarkable – with four spring Group I winners and an additional six Group I performers emerging from the 43 past runners.
Going back to 2011, the said benchmark event produced that year's Group I Spring Champion Stakes victor Doctor Doom, Listed winner Gliding, multiple stakes placed performer Rekindled Alliance and Listed placegetter Houston Benefactor.
In the following year, the two-time Group I runner-up Proisir made light work of dual Group I winner Norzita and another two-time Group I runner-up Longport.
Then in 2013, Happy Clapper, presently one of the leading gallopers in the country, finished fourth behind Group I performers Bull Point and Savvy Nature.
The form continued in 2014 as Sweynesse defeated First Seal and Hampton Court before the same three horses filled the placings, in reverse order, in the Spring Champion Stakes.
Last year represented a small downward trend but still produced subsequent Group I Australian Guineas fourth placegetter River Wild as well as next start Group III winner Devil Hawk.
Trainer Chris Waller, who is represented by Cocoexcel, Sezanne, and Tumultuous, believes all three of his runners are capable of making the swift progression to stakes company this spring.
"That doesn't surprise me," Waller said of the race's historical form.
"Our horses are pretty handy. And it's a shame they're all coming together but it provides that last chance to shelter them from the stakes races and hopefully they can join up with the Group races after that.
"At the moment they just lack a bit of race sense that the horses that raced at two have.
"Cocoexcel is very promising. 1400 (metres) is a bit of concern but to me at home she has the right attitude to settle and has trialled since her debut win.
"Sezanne was good first-up when a bit soft in condition and she's trained on well since then. You'll see in the parade ring she still looks a little bit big but she's another one with really good ability.
"Tumultuous is a really nice progressive colt that we think a bit of and it would nice to think of him as a Gloaming Stakes type of horse. He's probably not quite as sharp as the fillies but he's come back well."
Online bookmaker Ladbrokes has Cocoexcel priced at $5, Sezanne at $6.50, and Tumultuous at $20. The favourite for this year's event is the Gai Waterhouse-trained Evacuation at $2.25.
