$10 million goes on the line in another stunning edition of The Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday, November 2nd.
We’ve already been treated to many memorable spring contests in Sydney this year, and with the likes of Southport Tycoon, Joliestar and Steffi Magnetica set to step out alongside some excellent international raiders, The Golden Eagle could prove to be the best yet!
Check out my preview of that race and the remaining nine on The Golden Eagle Day below.
Race 1 - 12:10pm AEDT
Highway Handicap (1400m)
It’s an open Highway Handicap to launch The Golden Eagle Day 2024 and there’s a case to be made for plenty of them, including Mighty Myrtle.
Mighty Myrtle ended her last prep with consecutive wins at Queanbeyan and Moruya back in May, and she picked up where she left off with an eye-catching win in Class 2 company at Canberra.
The barrier is the knock but I’m expecting plenty of improvement out of the horse.
1 Unit E/W Mighty Myrtle
Race 2 - 12:45pm AEDT
Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m)
This is another open race with plenty of live chances, but I thought it looked a nice one for Gently Rolled second-up from a spell.
Gently Rolled turned in some fine performances last time in, recording consecutive wins at this grade at Randwick and here at Rosehill most notably.
She wasn’t disgraced behind Pharari first-up earlier this month and she’s yet to miss placing at this point of her preparation.
1 Unit Gently Rolled
Race 3 - 1:20pm AEDT
Cerrone Handicap (2000m)
Lauding is the one for me in Race 3 on The Golden Eagle Day.
Lauding led all the way down at The Valley over 2040m back in August before finishing just over half a length behind Lincoln Rocks in a similar contest.
He’s been freshened since finishing at the rail of the field in BM88 content here last month, sent back to the trials and will relish this drop in class, while barrier 4 should also be suitable for him to find his way forward early.
1 Unit Lauding
Race 4 - 2pm AEDT
Kia Handicap (1300m)
Fire Star has continued to improve with racing this time and can make a successful transition to Saturday metro company at Rosehill this week.
The well-bred gelding dusted off the cobwebs with a few competitive efforts in provincial company when resuming this time and was rewarded for his consistency with a sharp win in BM72 company at Warwick Farm two back.
Having made light work of them again at Warwick Farm last time out, he’s hard fit and looks to have a class edge over a lot of these.
3 Units Fire Star
Race 5 - 2:40pm AEDT
Four Pillars Midway (1500m)
Typically, it’s a wide-open edition of the Four Pillars Midway this year, but I thought that it looked a perfect feature for Fugitiva.
Fugitiva has only made ten appearances at the races since debuting, but she’s been a consistent performer in recording three wins, a further five minors, all while finding form around some decent provincial types.
Trainer Robert & Luke Price have a knack of getting their horses to peak on the big days and this mare could deliver the stable another big result.
1 Unit E/W Fugitiva
Race 6 - 3:20pm AEDT
Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m)
Dollar Magic is second-up and primed for a big effort on The Golden Eagle Day.
The Shamus Award mare has been a strong and consistent performer for the Scott Singleton yard through twenty career starts, missing the minors only four times, while she was very good behind a fit Pharari here in her first run back this time.
Her second-up record is excellent, and any improvement would see her right into the finish again.
4 Units Dollar Magic
Race 7 - 4pm AEDT
Russell Balding Stakes (1300m)
$3 million goes on the line in the Russell Balding Stakes and it’s brimming with talent, but I’ve landed on King Of Sparta.
He was sent off at odds in the Sydney Stakes first-up a fortnight ago and after settling back in the field, but I liked the way he let down late.
Six previous second-up attempts have delivered three wins and he’s open to plenty of improvement into this race.
Bella Nipotina is stepping out following her The Everest triumph and she could come out and brain them, but I think King Of Sparta gets more ticks here; his upside, his barrier and the booking of Joao Moreira.
2 Units E/W King Of Sparta
Race 8 - 4:45pm AEDT
The Golden Eagle (1500m)
Another stunning edition of The Golden Eagle looms and with $10 million on the line, some of the best four-year-olds from Australia and beyond are engaged.
With a case to be made for many, one that I thought represented value in betting was Steffi Magnetica ($10 at publish).
Didn’t she enjoy a meteoric rise to prominence earlier this year, it all peaked with that incredible performance in the Stradbroke Handicap.
She only just missed in The Shorts when resuming this time and her effort in The Everest was far better than the result suggested, she was just over two lengths behind Bella Nipotina.
Third-up and out in trip, she’ll be flying home late.
2 Units E/W Steffi Magnetica
Race 9 - 5:20pm AEDT
Group 3 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m)
Even with topweight, I’m keen to stick with Fawkner Park on the quick back up into the Rosehill Gold Cup.
Fawkner Park stamped himself as an early Caulfield Cup favourite with some huge performances earlier this year, including a dominant win in the lucrative Q22 up in Brisbane.
When he finished well down the order in the Underwood Stakes first-up this time, the plan was changed from the Caulfield Cup, and he enjoyed plenty of improvement into a close-up fifth in the Craven Plate last weekend.
I like that he’s on the quick back up and with Tyler Schiller retaining the ride, this looks a perfect race for him.
2 Units Fawkner Park
Mountain Top is a dual acceptor in Race 2 here at Rosehill as well, but I am of the opinion this is the better race for her.
Mountain Top hasn’t missed placing in five runs back from a break, winning three times, highlighted by her performance in BM72 company at Warwick Farm last time out.
She drops in the weights into this race and has options from the rails draw.
2 Units Mountain Top