Craig KerrySeptember 11, 2026 — 4:15pmZac Lloyd is taking encouragement from a handy barrier and professional piece of work from replacement ride Central Europe as he chases a bonus win in the group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.Lloyd was set to ride Golden Slipper winner Guest House on Saturday, but after they produced a breathtaking rails run to claim the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) in track record time two weeks ago, trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr opted to skip the Run To The Rose and head straight to the group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) on September 26.Central Europe flashes down the outside to finish second to Campione D’Italia in the group 2 Skyline Stakes in February.Getty Images“I think it’s maybe a blessing in disguise really,” Lloyd said.“I don’t think he pulled up bad, but maybe just with how impressive he was first up, this middle leg before the Golden Rose, he doesn’t need to prove anything more.“He needs to win the Golden Rose, the Everest and the Coolmore Stud Stakes. If he ran in this, it was a fair bit of racing this prep, and Mick knows his horses inside out, so I’m sure it’s the right thing to do.”Guest House is a $2.80 TAB favourite for the Golden Rose, ahead of Chris Waller-trained St Gotthard ($4.50) and Central Europe ($8). Waller said this week he put James McDonald on unbeaten $2.7 million colt St Gotthard ($2.60 favourite), a full brother to Switzerland, for the Run To The Rose after the top jockey was unable to choose between the pair.Zac Lloyd steers Guest House to victory in the San Domenico Stakes.Getty ImagesThe call gave Lloyd the chance to reunite with Central Europe ($6), which has placed in all three runs, including an unlucky second on debut in the Skyline Stakes then a length third in the Pago Pago at two. He resumed with another strong, chasing effort through the line when third in the Rosebud and Lloyd hoped a draw in two on Saturday could help him improve.“That’s the pleasure of riding for Waller,” Lloyd said of the chance.“He’s always got good horses, whether it’s one, two, three good horses in a race, so although Guest House isn’t there, obviously I ride a lot for Waller, so it’s good to be able to pick up Central Europe.“I gave him his first-ever trial, and he gave me a really good feel. He’s gone to the races and performed very well. He does a few things wrong, but being trained by Chris, I think he’ll eventually learn. Whether that’s Saturday or whether he needs a bit more time, but a good barrier is a massive help for Saturday.“I don’t think my horse is really a horse I can be too tactical on. He’s not seasoned enough to be very tactical, so I’ll just keep it as smooth as possible.”Lloyd was back aboard the $750,000 Frankel colt last Thursday for track-work and he was pleased with what he produced.“His work was very good, and he’s done it very professionally, so if he can bring that attitude to races that will help him a lot,” he said.“He got boxed in that day [in the Skyline], then second start he ran very well, but maybe he’d just come to the end of his prep.“First up he was very good, and he pulled quite hard early, so obviously we’re just going to need to get the first half right and then I’m sure he’ll run well.”Gratz Vella-trained Music Time was a scratching from the race on Friday because of a temperature.Lloyd will also ride Gary Portelli-trained Verona Rose ($6) for the first time in a race on Saturday, and he was excited about her prospects in the group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) after a fast-finishing fourth at the trials.“The trial was super, it was the first time I’ve sat on her and I was very keen to ride her,” he said.“I think it’s a very winnable race for her.”Apprentice keen to capitalise on northern exposureAnna Roper was low on options a couple of weeks ago, but after a stellar start to her “fly in, fly out” career in Brisbane, the apprentice jockey has choices.For now, Roper is staying in Sydney, where she hopes to build on her momentum on Saturday at Rosehill.Roper had a treble at Eagle Farm last Saturday, and one win there the week before, to give her four victories and two placings from nine metropolitan rides in Queensland. The trips came after a lean run for the Central Coast rider, who has been on loan to the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton stable since May.“It was nice just to be back riding winners again and riding some nice horses, it definitely kicked along a bit of momentum,” said Roper, who celebrated her 24th birthday last Sunday.Anna Roper.Getty Images“It’s different up there, but it was good to get a decent book of rides and get some results. My manager said the phone’s been ringing off the hook, so it’s definitely helped, being the exciting new toy up there, I guess.”Roper said there was talk of a loan stint in Brisbane, but for now she is staying put. The 1.5-kilogram claimer heads back to Eagle Farm next Saturday.“While the carnival is on, I’ll head up there a few weekends, but I think I’ll stay based in Sydney,” she said.“You don’t want to leave this environment once you’re in it. You are riding for the best trainers and riding some of the best horses, but if there’s anything up there, at least I’ll be on them.”Roper’s best chance from six rides on Saturday shapes as Kristen Buchanan-trained Annie’s Rose, which was into a $3.30 favourite for the Midway Handicap from gate one. Annie’s Rose was an 1100m benchmark 78 handicap winner two starts back then a length and a half away last time out over 1200m.“She’s going super,” Roper said. “She needs the soft run and the suck run, but she should get every favour.”Roper gets another chance with Grand Impact ($9) in the last, a 1200m benchmark 88, after they were a close second two starts ago. The Mick Price- and Michael Kent jnr-prepared galloper was a narrow runner-up again last start.“My best ride on the day was Grand Impact, but it drew very wide and has a big weight, but he’s been running really well,” she said.Her only stakes race chance is with Mike Van Gestel’s Dark Glitter ($101) in the group 2 Sheraco.“I feel like the harder the race, the harder she tries that little horse,” Roper said. “Obviously it’s a very tough race, one hell of a race, but it’s an exciting opportunity and nice to be riding in a group 2.”Meanwhile, spare a thought for another Central Coast apprentice, Mitch Stapleford, who was in severe pain and being checked for a potential break or dislocation of his hip after a fall from a pick-up ride at trials on Friday at Randwick.Stapleford took over from Alysha Collett on unraced John Sargent-trained filly Daisy A Day and fell awkwardly from her in the mounting area before the penultimate trial.From our partners