Sydney stars: Winx goes again with The Autumn Sun also starring on stellar card

Rosehill will be the centre of the racing world for at least a few hours on Saturday when the Sydney track plays host to Winx and The Autumn Sun, Australian racing's two biggest stars, as well as the Golden Slipper, the nation's signature two year-old contest.

Winx makes what is scheduled to be the penultimate appearance of her stellar career in the George Ryder Stakes (4.05am GMT), a race she will be attempting to win for a fourth consecutive year.

Rosehill has thrown up testing underfoot conditions in each of the last two years, and neither trainer Chris Waller nor jockey Hugh Bowman expect the predicted wet track to be an inconvenience as Winx closes in on her 32nd straight success and a 24th Group 1 triumph.

"She ticks all the boxes and I think one of her best runs came in this race two years ago, when it was a very heavy track," said Bowman. "With an expected wet track on Saturday it just gives us more confidence than we already had."

With next month's Queen Elizabeth Stakes across town in Randwick expected to be Winx's swansong, Waller admitted that the George Ryder – for which Melbourne-based Land Of Plenty is 18-1 second favourite – will deliver an emotional occasion at Rosehill.

"It's been her place of training for the majority of her career, it's where she lives and it's her home track," said Waller. "It's very likely to be her last run here. We'll get sentimental after the race no doubt but at this stage it's full steam ahead."

Forty minutes earlier Waller's other stable star The Autumn Sun continues his campaign against 12 rivals in the Rosehill Guineas (3.25am).

The Autumn Sun gave supporters a heart-stopping moment a fortnight ago when coming from near last at the turn to run down Fundamentalist by a head at Randwick over a mile and is tackling 1m2f for the first time here.

Among those lining up for the Ranvet Stakes (4.45am) is Eminent, or He's Eminent as he is known on Australia.

An unlucky fourth in Wings Of Eagles' Derby in 2017, the former Martyn Meade-trained five-year-old has been sent to eventing legend Sir Mark Todd to be trained before a future stud career.

Todd told racing.com: "James McDonald has done a few pieces of work on him and is happy so we're hoping we've got him somewhere near his best three-year-old form. If he's like that, he could be competitive on Saturday."

Oisin Murphy flies to Sydney for the ride aboard Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Loving Gaby in the Longines Golden SlipperCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Oisin Murphy is at Rosehill for one ride on Loving Gaby in the £1.9m Golden Slipper (5.30am), the climax to the top-flight action on a cracking card.

Loving Gaby made a fine impression when winning on her debut and was not disgraced in sixth when sent off favourite for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield last month.

Wearing the Phoenix Thoroughbred silks, Murphy will have to overcome an unpromising wide draw in stall 15, although last year's Slipper hero Estijaab tacked over to make virtually all from gate 14.

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