Tempted announced herself as a filly of rare quality with a brilliant win in the Group 2 Run To The Rose, becoming just the second of her sex to claim the prestigious race. Her performance has thrown her hat firmly into the ring for Sydney’s richest spring features, including the Golden Rose (1400m) and potentially the $20 million The Everest (1200m).

Trainer Ciaron Maher was glowing after the victory, pointing out the quality of the opposition she dispatched. “What she has been showing us is far better than anything else I had in Sydney so I was quite confident today. She was very impressive, wasn’t she? It is a crack field. It’s good to have good decisions to make. I’ll have a chat to the team but I’d say she’s got a lot of options. She could go a number of different ways but given how she put them away it would be very attractive.”

The only other filly to win the race was In Secret in 2022, who later finished runner-up in the Golden Rose before capturing the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington. While Godolphin opted against sending her to The Everest, Maher believes Tempted could measure up. “They’re a great team. I’ve only been dealing with them for a short time but they’ll make the right call. It probably wouldn’t be beyond her. Three-year-olds have a pretty good record. The fillies haven’t done as well as the colts but she might be one out of the box.”

Ridden patiently, Tempted ($3.90 fav) produced a devastating turn of foot in the straight to defeat Beiwacht ($7.50) by 1-1/2 lengths, with Skyhook ($5.50) flashing late into third. Wodeton ($8) and outsider State Visit ($71) also caught the eye, both heading towards the Golden Rose.

Runner-up jockey Adam Hyeronimus praised Beiwacht’s effort but raised doubts about the colt’s suitability for 1400m. “I wasn’t expecting a horse to go past us that quick at the furlong. She has run really well the filly. I do think he’s going to maybe be a risk going to the Golden Rose over seven furlongs. That will all depend on the race shape.”