Rose Of Man claims second Highway Handicap

The door is still open for Rose Of Man to get to the Country Championships despite trainer Terry Robinson's decision to scratch her from the Goulburn heat of the series.

Rose Of Man instead raced at Rosehill where she became the first horse to win two Highway Handicaps since the introduction in October of the Saturday races for country-trained horses.

The South Coast mare has now won three races and remains eligible for the $400,000 Country Championship on April 2 because she was an acceptor at Goulburn.

"There is still the second chance heat at Muswellbrook the week before the Country Championship if we decide to go that way," Robinson said.

"Because we accepted with her she's still eligible.

"She has so much ability but can cost herself.

"Tommy (Berry) rode her perfectly and I'll have a talk to him about where we go."

Rose Of Man's win gave Berry the first three races on the program but he had to work hard on the mare who came out last of the nine runners in the 1100m sprint.

The second favourite, Rose Of Man ($2.80) gathered momentum in the straight to claim a short head win over Royal Engineer ($18) with Bowie's Babe ($13) another length fourth.