The Rosehill Guineas is a $500 000 Group 1 set weights race for three year olds. It is run over 2000m at Rosehill every March.

It is part of Sydney’s triple crown for three year olds, in addition to the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) and the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).

Until the 1977-78 season, it was run in mid-September, along with Sydney’s other features. However, the following season, it was switched to the autumn where it remains today.
First run in 1910 when it was won by Electric Wire, it was originally run over seven furlongs (1400m). From 1915 to 1947, it was run over nine furlongs (1800m), before finally being increased to 10 furlongs (2000m) in 1948. It is still run at 2000m today.

Notable winners include Wolaroi (1916), Furious (1921), Amounis (1925), Phar Lap (1929), Ajax (1937), Tea Rose (1944), Hydrogen (1951), Tulloch (1957), Wenona Girl (1960), Eskimo Prince (1964), Imagele (1973), Dulcify (1979), Kingston Town (1980), Strawberry Road (1983), Sky Chase (1988), Surfers Paradise (1991), Naturalism (1992), Danewin (1995), Octagonal (1996), Tie The Knot (1998), Sky Heights (1999), Diatribe (2000), Eremein (2005) and Metal Bender (2009).

In 2011, Jimmy Choux defeated Retrieve and Shamrocker, while 2012 saw Laser Hawk prevail from Ocean Park and Silent Achiever.

As part of the triple crown, the logical lead up is the Randwick Guineas. The only horse to do the double since the Randwick Guineas has been run at 1600m is Metal Bender.

Horses may also come from the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

From here, horses tend to press on to the Australian Derby. Since 1980, seven horses have won both the Rosehill Guineas and the Derby – Kingston Town (1980), (1983), Naturalism (1992), Innocent King (1993), Octagonal (1996), Sky Heights (1999) and Eremein (2005).

They may also head to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), while the fillies may go to the Group 1 Storm Queen Stakes (2000m) or the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m).