It remains an open Golden Rose after the unbeaten Hallowed Crown swooped to win Saturday's Run To The Rose at Rosehill. The win highlighted the amount of chances in the mix for the group 1 race in a fortnight. But Avdulla is bullish about Washington Heights' chances.

"If you look at Washington Heights' form around all the contenders, he ran second to Hallowed Crown in the autumn and we saw what he did on Saturday," Avdulla said. "His first-up run this time behind Nostradamus was very strong.

"I think 1400 metres is really going to suit him more and, if he wins Ming Dynasty, I would expect he would be Golden Rose favourite and the one to beat."

Washington Heights has been a part of the Golden Rose intrigue after being confirmed as a likely runner by trainer Gerald Ryan last Friday.

"He went from $51 to $8 on Friday once Gerald said he could be running in it," TAB's Glenn Munsie said. "It is that sort of race, punters can't work out what they want to make favourite.

"Bring Me The Maid won last week and was favourite, and then the winner on the weekend, Hallowed Crown, was made favourite, which is what normally happens, but there are plenty of horses around the same quote because it is so hard to work out the race."

The flops of favourite Almalad and Nostradamus in the Run To The Rose were both attributed to the heavy going, which makes it a tougher assignment for punters.

"We still haven't seen Hallowed Crown on a dry track, so that remains a mystery," Munsie said. "With all the lead-ups being on wet tracks, it is making it very tricky.

"If we get a dry track on Rose day, it will make for a fascinating betting race.

"Horses like Almalad, Nostradamus and Sarajevo are all going to get better on a dry track, but no one knows how much better."

The Ming Dynasty will be the next stop for Coolmore three-year-old Valentia and the Paul Messara-trained Panzer Division. The pair filled the placings behind Scissor Kick in the interference-marred Up And Coming Stakes.

Gai Waterhouse is happy with Valentia going to Randwick and thinks he will improve with the extra trip before backing up in the Golden Rose. She is waiting to see how Almalad comes through the next couple of days before committing to his next run.

"It is a very open race and the form from these wet tracks could be diabolical," Waterhouse said. "I was very pleased with [Valentia] in the Up And Coming and he is still learning and developing. He might be my only Golden Rose runner."

Arrowfield will separate its two smart three-year-olds – Panzer Division and Scissor Kick. Panzer Division is unlikely to run in the Golden Rose. The Gloaming Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes are likely to be part of his campaign after Saturday.

"We are going to try and keep them apart," Arrowfield boss John Messara said. "Scissor Kick has done nothing wrong winning the Rosebud and Up And Coming and he is more brilliant, and is the one to beat in the Golden Rose.

"Panzer Division has always looked like getting over more ground and he can go a different way and look towards the 2000m. It is good to have two really good colts."

Well-fancied Golden Rose prospects Better Land and Sarajevo are hoping to sneak into the field with a big drop out of nominations.

"We are hopeful that Sarajevo will get in going on history that says this race drops away, and we are proceeding with that in our mind," Godolphin's racing manager Jason Walsh said. "We were very happy with Kumaon on the weekend and Meursault will run in the Ming Dynasty and should back-up in the Rose, all going well."

Sessions will be nominated for the Concorde Stakes in Sydney along with Safeguard but is a good chance of heading to Moonee Valley to take on Lankan Rupee in the McEwen Stakes, where stablemate Orujo will also be entered.

Blue Diamond winner Earthquake will make her season return in the Furious Stakes.

"She is ready to go and we can't wait any longer," Walsh said. "She will run and we will have Memorial in the Furious as well.

"We have to make a decision on Sessions, whether it is Sydney or Melbourne, but he is going really well."