2024 Golden Eagle tips and preview: Bad barrier brutal favorite – so does this open the door for whoever finishes Everest faster?
The Golden Eagle, although not as famous as Everest, has quickly become one of Australia’s best races, and is certainly comfortably in the top ten. Although many other new races didn’t work out, this one certainly succeeded and Peter V’Landis deserves credit for that.
Five years on, and we know it takes a serious four-year-old to win the Golden Eagle – Colding, Colette and I’m Thunderstruck were Group 1 winners before their version of Wish I’d Won Sooner won. As it happens, the necessary talent has already been shown, with last year seeing the first international winner in Obamburumai, who was a Group 1 finisher in Japan before arriving.
International competitions are a good place to start this year, with four runners coming from overseas, including the two hot favourites.
Ascoli Piceno has been a pre-post favorite for some time due to its unique Japanese form, which often appears in Australia. She has won a Group 1 in her homeland, been runner-up in two others, and has yet to miss a quinella in six career starts. His task has become increasingly difficult after crossing Barrier 17, and he will need an all-time guide from Joao Moreira.
Corazon Beat is also from Japan, and has been found wanting against Ascoli Piceno on three occasions at home. With the right races in transition, his best could compete here, but his recent form has been poor.
Lazat is second in the betting behind Ascoli Piceno, who is unbeaten in six career starts, and recently reached Group 1 level in his homeland France. He is the definition of an untapped talent, but looks to perform at his best on wet ground, and will have a strong deck to contend with on Saturday. In a race that has always been defined by good margins, this may be a minor handicap.
Lake Forest comes from the UK, a runner who has never raced further than 1207 metres, and now has to compete in a high-pressure 1500 meter race. He’s consistent, and clearly has a good measure of ability, but the price of $17 or so seems reasonable.
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Having Group 1 potential is a strong precedent, and there are six Australian Group 1 winners in the field.
Southport Tycoon has won the Australian Guineas over 1600m at three, and the Manikato Stakes over 1200m at four, so he has the quality credentials at the right distances to say he has the confidence to win at the Rosehill 1500m. There is a chance of. His third start for Overpass in the Sydney Stakes was a qualifying one, and here is his chance to win.
Griff won the Caulfield Guineas as a 30-1 outsider last spring, but has not had a shot since. He can definitely be exempted.
Wight finished second to both Southport Tycoon and Griff in their respective Guineas wins in the 2023/24 season, before missing out on the All Aged Stakes in Sydney autumn. He finished two runs back in 11th and ninth, having been beaten by almost five lengths on both occasions, but running better than he looks on paper. Nothing has gone right with him, and he could easily come here at a big price.
Tom Kitten has a reputation as a non-winner, evoking memories of Tom Melbourne. He won Spring Champion this time last year, and was also good at winning on first time – however, he was beaten five times as the favorite last year. He has been performing brilliantly and finished well at the end of his race behind Ceolwolf and King Charles at Epsom. He likes Rosehill, but is that ideal now moving back from 1600m to 1500m?
Joliestar and Steffi Magnetica bring Everest form to the Golden Eagle, both part of a blanket finish where two and a half lengths covered the first nine runners home. You have to say that Jolistar was the more attractive race there, and the proving ground over 1600m also works in her favour. They are both proven Group 1 talents, and both are serious win hopes.
Joliestar finished seventh at Everest but moved up late; He drew barrier 16 for the Golden Eagle. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
Between Australian Group 1 winners and international runners, half of the Golden Eagle field has been covered. The other half still has some very good horses trending upward, but all are likely priced at $21 or higher.
Ostraka has been working beautifully through the grades in this prep, and has won three times in a row, including a Silver Eagle in her last start. He has shown versatility in being able to move backward or forward.
Zidaki and War Machine filled the positions behind the Ostraka in the Golden Eagle, Port Lockroy was in the distance. The right race can separate these, and either one of them can run into one place with no surprises. War Machine’s second start behind Barakiel has received more qualifying time since the horse joined him at Group 2 level at Moonee Valley last week, and he has prepared well to pop up.
Craig is one of the most underrated locals in the area. He won a benchmark 78 three starts and finished second to Antino at Toorak last time out. Yes, he was six lengths in arrears, but he came from last to overtake everyone else and is still up. Can he use a good handicap and make more progress than he has shown in recent starts?
Encap and Kintyre are similar horses who will find the quality of this field very difficult to handle. Chrysaor has been up and down, but even the high level of what he has displayed will not lead to a win here.
Macarena is fast on the back-up after finishing third at The Invitational last week, having already won a golden pendant in her campaign. She was defeated by only a length in the Queen of the Turf in April, and has been able to hold herself in the race. $26 seems like a great price.
Skybird has shaped up as a mare who can play her part in these types of races, but a flat race last start has raised some doubts (as well as her price). Should the pace be right, and she will come home hard, and is a legitimate top-five chance at her best.
For a large field of 20 horses, there is no real leader. There are horses that have done this, and a handful that are happy to sit comfortably with no desire to run. There are always some tough stories in such a big field at Rosehill, and the Golden Eagle is always won by a great ride.
Selection: 1.Joliestar 2.Steffi Magnetica 3.War Machine 4.Ascoli Piceno
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