Trainer Gillian Heinrich concedes time is running out for talented three-year-old Tour Guide to qualify for next month's $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

Tour Guide will get his last chance to leapfrog into Golden Rose contention when the Flying Spur colt returns after a short injury-enforced break in the Fitzgerald Property Management Hcp (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Tour Guide made an impressive comeback from a spell last start when he faded late after leading to finish second to Cocktail Supreme over 1200 metres at Doomben on July 29.

Heinrich was in fine spirits after the run and was talking up the colt's Golden Rose chances until he was injured while being loaded onto a float for the trip back to his Gold Coast stables.

Tour Guide sustained bad cuts which required stitching in the float mishap and initially Heinrich feared he'd ended his Golden Rose hopes.

However he made a remarkable recovery and can still make the September 2 Golden Rose field if he breaks his maiden status at Doomben.

"He has to win this week, otherwise we can forget about the Golden Rose," Heinrich said.

Tour Guide needs a dramatic boost to his current prizemoney of $7,500 to gain a Golden Rose start.

"The top 45 qualifiers for the Golden Rose have already earned $20,000 and he has to win and hope there's a few dropouts to get into the race," Heinrich said.

"If he qualifies we'll take him down for it.

"The vet has checked his legs every second day since he got the stitches and luckily there's hasn't been any infection.

"If he's good enough he's fit enough to win on Saturday, but it's our last chance."

Heinrich also has stablemates Wide Open and Captain Biggles opposing Tour Guide but she's already conceded the Golden Rose is out of their reach.

"Wide Open and Captain Biggles were also entered for the Golden Rose but they've got no hope of getting in," she said.

Heinrich has been dogged with bad alleys for the trio in recent weeks and there's been no let-up in her nightmares with Tour Guide drawing barrier 10, Captain Biggles 11 while Wide Open drew gate 12 for their Doomben assignment.

PIC - Quentin Lang. 

© AAP 2010 Published 17/08/06