The $7,500,000 Golden Eagle headlines racing at Rosehill this weekend as the Punter’s Prince goes through the runner-by-runner guide.
A Victorian raider could very well have this race at his mercy.
#1 Private Eye
Joe Pride
The winner of Epsom Handicap who must be considered a winning hope.
Big negative is the very wide barrier will likely see him spotting the leaders at least 10 lengths if the stable adopts negative tactics.
Odds: $6.5 the win and $2.40 the place.
Finishing position: Fifth
#2 im thunderstruck
mick price & michael kent jnr.
The favourite who just keeps stepping up to the mark every time he is asked.
Brings the best form into the race and gets the services of champion jockey Hugh Bowman who will ensure he gets a cushy run from the middle barrier.
If he runs up to his Toorak Handicap win he is almost a lock to win this race.
Odds: $3.9 the win and $1.75 the place.
Finishing position: First
#3 aegon
murray baker & andrew forsman
Gun horse when he is up and going but he has struggled to make an impact in open company this preparation.
Risking him.
Odds: $26 the win and $7 the place.
Finishing position: Tenth
#4 apache chase
desleigh forster
Queensland raider who is going to either lead or enjoy a perfect run up on the speed.
A huge chance in this race given he maps well in advance of his main rivals.
Have him in for second off two really sharp wins up north.
Odds: $7 the win and $2.5 the place.
Finishing position: Second
#5 aysar
ben & J D Hayes
Has always shown Group 1 talent, but has never really been able to put it together.
His best is good enough to run top five, but he is not reliable.
Odds: $91 the win and $21 the place.
Finishing position: Last
#6 aim
peter & paul snowden
Was very lucky to win the Silver Eagle with a broken-down horse giving him the saloon passage into the race, while mayhem ensued.
The fact Hugh Bowman has hopped off and decided to ride I’m Thunderstruck says it all.
A shock if he wins this.
Odds: $31 the win and $8 the place
Finishing position: Seventeenth
#7 amish boy
ciaron maher & dave eustace
One win in his career and he is beginning to become a money muncher for the punters.
Always gets too far back in his races to make a really significant impact.
Odds: $31 the win and $8 the place
Finishing position: Thirteenth
#8 exoboom
peter & paul snowden
Won a pretty hollow Saturday race last start.
Barrier 12 represents a tricky assignment for Lee Maggorian as the pair will likely be posted wide without cover and too far back.
Not a winning chance.
Odds: $26 the win and $7 the place.
Finishing position: Twelfth
#9 ellsberg
gerald ryan & sterling alexiou
Arguably should have won the lead-up event.
He is going to be afforded the perfect run-in-transit by Joshua Parr who will score up from the inside gate and settle right on the back of the leaders.
Hard to see him missing a place off his form to date and with the position he likely lands in during the race.
Odds: $8.5 the win and $2.90 the place
Finishing position: Third
#10 love tap
richard & michael freedman
He has liking to his exact distance range.
The knock here is that he does not have the turn of foot or sustained speed to be defeating the top chances.
Will need plenty of luck fro the inside barrier as well.
Odds: $34 the win and $9 the place
Finishing position: Fourteenth
#11 count de rupee
robert & luke price
Charged home to just miss out on winning the Silver Eagle.
He has a big finishing burst that might be hard to hold out should he find a spot close enough to the leaders from barrier four.
Odds: $13 the win and $4 the place
Finishing position: Fourth
#12 law of indices
annabel neasham
Tommy Berry will attempt to press forward from the wide barrier.
In all likelihood he will have done too much work from out deep on the course with a heap of speed kicking up inside of him.
Strong horse, but will vulnerable late.
Odds: $21 the win and $6 the place
Finishing position: Sixth
#13 maximal
john o'shea
Arguably the pick of the international horses.
The big problem is he will probably end up in no man’s land after drawing the Rosehill car park.
Will be hitting the line late, but it will be too big of an ask.
Odds: $13 the win and $4 the place
Finishing position: Eighth
#14 reve de vol
annabel neasham
Does not possess the sharpness or acceleration to be a winning hope over 1500 metres.
Look for him to find another race at 2000 metres deeper into his Australian campaign.
Odds: $31 the win and $8 the place
Finishing position: FIfteenth
#15 forbidden love
richard & michael freedman
Race does not look at all favourable for her.
Would prefer to see her winning form before backing her and barrier 16 does not exactly endear us to her either.
Odds: $26 the win and $7 the place
Finishing position: Sixteenth
#16 vangelic
gai waterhouse & adrian bott
She will stroll forward as she always does and attempt to make her own luck out in front.
Lacks the strength late in her races to hold off the big swoopers in this event.
Could give a sight if the track is playing very favourably to leaders though.
Odds: $21 the win and $6 the place
Finishing position: Seventh
#17 Media Award
chris calthorpe
A really talented mare who was holding her spot the line well when resuming over 1400 metres.
Would rather be backing her when she finds herself racing at 2000 metres and further.
Keep an eye out for her late in the race.
Odds: $31 the win and $8 the place
Finishing position: Eleventh
#18 Atishu
chris waller
Ran a super race in the Epsom Handicap when finishing sixth behind Private Eye.
A repeat of that effort will not be good enough to win the Golden Eagle, but she can find herself in the top ten again.
Will need luck from the wide barrier.
Odds: $21 the win and $6 the place
Finishing position: Seventh
