In just its second year of existence, the $7.5 million Golden Eagle has drawn an open and capacity field of middle-distance specialists to Rosehill Gardens.
The consistent Funstar will take her place in the Golden Eagle field alongside some quality local and interstate rivals, including Queenslander Alligator Blood and West Australians Superstorm and Windstorm, and there’s a case to be made for plenty.
The Golden Eagle – Winner
No. 13 Colette – Bet Now: $7.50
Colette has continued to improve with racing this preparation, and she’ll take beating in the Golden Eagle.
The Hallowed Crown mare enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in autumn this year, culminating in an impressive win in the Group 1 ATC Oaks.
She clearly needed the run when tenth in the Group 2 Tramway when resuming, but has since finished fifth in the Group 1 George Main and sixth in the Epsom Handicap, and I like that she’s had a trial since her last effort.
She’s drawn ideally into a field for which a lot of her leading rivals have drawn awkwardly, and she looks a touch of overs at publish (Golden Eagle odds of $10).
The Golden Eagle – 2nd
No. 1 Alligator Blood – Bet Now: $6.50
Alligator Blood simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race, I’m just worried he’ll need to do a little too much work in the Golden Eagle from barrier 15.
The So You Think gelding has been outstanding since debuting, but announced himself to the wider Australian racing fraternity last spring when he won the CS Hayes Stakes in Melbourne, and finished a bee’s you-know-what second behind Super Seth in the Neds Caulfield Guineas.
He continued to return outstanding performances through summer and autumn, highlighted by his first Group 1 win in the Australian Guineas.
So far this time, he has finished third in a race at Doomben, second in the Silver Eagle, and he is peaking at the right time to win the Golden Eagle.
The Golden Eagle – 3rd
No. 6 Windstorm – Bet Now: $21.00
Windstorm has opened at Golden Eagle odds of $21, and he is another horse that could very well win.
The Grant & Alana Williams-trained gelding won three sprints in succession in Perth before arriving in Victoria for several impressive performances and results, including a win in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes.
He returned a rare flat effort in the Neds Moonga Stakes last time out, but I am happy to forgive that run, and he is obviously rock-hard fit for the Golden Eagle.
The booking of a senior jockey in Glyn Schofield is ideal, and he is drawn to receive a lovely run from barrier 8.
The Golden Eagle – 4th
No. 4 Dawn Passage – Bet Now: $21.00
He has drawn terribly (barrier 16), but Dawn Passage is an above-average athlete and with appropriate luck, he is a winning chance in the Golden Eagle.
The Dawn Approach entire went to another level last preparation, winning the Hawkesbury Guineas, Scone Guineas and Fred Best Classic in succession, before ending his prep seventh, just two lengths from the winner in the Stradbroke Handicap.
He’ll enjoy good improvement from a credible first-up run for third in the Silver Eagle, and he is another horse that has had the benefit of a trial in the wake.
The Golden Eagle Suggested Bets
- 2 Units E/W #12 Colette
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections above