The Golden Eagle is quickly cementing its place on Sydney’s spring carnival program with the Australian Turf Club receiving a record 199 nominations for the $10 million race.
Entries were up a staggering 63 per cent on the 122 taken last year and there was no compromise on quality with top four-year-olds Anamoe, Converge, Mazu and Fangirl all in the mix.
Eureopean galloper Light Infantry, a two-time Group 1 placegetter in France who will join the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, adds an international flavour and is among eight Golden Eagle entries boasting overseas formlines.
Nominations for the traditional carnival features are also strong with 99 horses in commission for the Epsom Handicap (1600m), an increase of almost 10 per cent, while The Metropolitan (2400m) and Flight Stakes (1600m) have also attracted solid interest with 87 and 74 nominations respectively.
Zaaki has been allocated top weight in the Epsom with 60kg, ahead of last year’s Golden Eagle winner I’m Thunderstruck (58.5kg) and multiple Group 1 winner Montefilia (57kg).
The latter is also at the higher end of the weight scale for a defence of her Metropolitan crown with 57.5kg for the staying feature, two kilos more than she carried last year.
Only the Peter Moody-trained Spanish Mission with 59kg and Gold Trip on 58.5kg have been handicapped above her.
The Flight Stakes entries include the winners of the opening two legs of the Princess Series, Zougotcha and North Star Lass, along with last Saturday’s Run To The Rose winner In Secret.
ATC Executive Manager, Racing and Wagering, James Ross said Racing NSW’s spring prizemoney injections continued to make the Sydney spring a great option.
“It is very pleasing to see such strong growth, not only on last year’s numbers, but also across six-year averages for all races,” Ross said.
“Weights have been released this week for both the TAB Epsom and the Furphy Metropolitan with both races containing great quality and an exciting mix of established and emerging stars.”
The Epsom, Flight Stakes and Metropolitan will be run at Randwick on October 1 with the Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 29.