Rothesay, the horse nobody wanted, stormed into contention for next month's $1 million Group One Golden Rose with an imposing debut victory at Rosehill where he easily accounted for his more expensive opposition.The win fired a warning to trainer Gerald Ryan's rivals with the Rosehill horseman adding Rothesay to what he hopes will be a three-pronged attack on the Golden Rose along with Melito and Hus Der Lieften.Ryan was delighted but not surprised by the ease of the Fastnet Rock colt's 1-3/4 le

Rothesay, the horse nobody wanted, stormed into contention for next month's $1 million Group One Golden Rose with an imposing debut victory at Rosehill where he easily accounted for his more expensive opposition.

The win fired a warning to trainer Gerald Ryan's rivals with the Rosehill horseman adding Rothesay to what he hopes will be a three-pronged attack on the Golden Rose along with Melito and Hus Der Lieften.

Ryan was delighted but not surprised by the ease of the Fastnet Rock colt's 1-3/4 length win over the Chris Waller-trained $600,000 yearling buy, Stryker, in the Blackberry Handicap (1100m).

The flop of the race was $2.2 million yearling purchase and $3.40 favourite Metallurgical who beat only two runners home.

"I would have been disappointed if he didn't do that to them," Ryan said.

Rothesay was passed in with a $150,000 reserve at the Easter Yearling Sale.

"Nobody was keen on him but I kept going back and looking at him, there was something about him," Ryan said.

The Rosehill trainer had so many looks over Rothesay's barn door that breeder and now part-owner Sue Suduk had to say something.

"Sue looked at me and said 'you really like this horse don't you, so take him home and train him'," Ryan said.

Suduk has been involved in racing for many years with her late husband John, racing plenty of horses with late trainer Max Lees including 1998 Group One Coolmore Classic winner Shindig.

"This is the first horse I've raced with Sue and it's great to have such a good horse," Ryan said.

"I rode her first winner at Traralgon when I was a jockey a long time ago."

Rothesay ($4.80) was ridden quietly by Corey Brown and moved into fifth spot near the turn before stalking the leader Stryker ($4.60) on straightening and easily accounting for him while the Peter Snowden-trained Rarefied ($6) finished a half-length away third.

"We'll see how he pulls up and then we might run him here in a couple of weeks before the Golden Rose," Ryan said.

The Golden Rose (1400m) is at Rosehill on August 29.