A capacity line-up of the season’s top four-year-olds face off in Australia’s second richest prize money race on Saturday in Sydney when the fourth edition of the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) takes place at Rosehill Gardens.
I Wish I Win is one of the key chances in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle field in Sydney. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Current Golden Rose betting markets at Ladbrokes have the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained French expat Light Infantry heading the odds at $3.90.
Money is coming for the Group 3 winning import who has international hoop Jamie Spencer over for the ride.
Drawn well in barrier eight, the Fast Company entire comes off back-to-back Group 1 seconds in France ahead of his Australian race debut.
He was at big odds 11 weeks ago when second in Deauville’s Group 1 Haras De Fresna over the mile only a long neck beaten at 23/1.
The Aussie bookies aren’t as generous and have him safe to win first-up down under.
Maher & Eustace also saddle-up $126 roughie Lavish Girl.
Occupying the second line of betting is the early market mover, Chain Of Lightning, into $5 for trainer Peter Moody.
Jockey Jamie Kah has the ride on the ultra-consistent Fighting Sun mare who comes into the $10 million feature having won all but one of her seven starts to date.
The bonny grey was beaten two back only a length off Zapateo in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) as the odds-on favourite on a Heavy (9).
She bounced back on Caulfield Cup Day on Soft going however posting a nearly two-length win in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) putting her in a good position for a Golden Eagle success.
Chain Of Lightning is likely to start from the inside alley with her current barrier two draw set to become gate one with emergencies out.
Moody launches a three-pronged attack on the Golden Eagle field, which has increased from 18 to 20 starters with the rail in the true position on Saturday.
Chain Of Lightning is joined by her stablemates I Wish I Win ($10) out in gate 14 for Luke Nolen and the event’s longest-priced contender Lightsaber ($201) in 15.
I Wish I Win presents as one of the genuine dangers.
The son of Savabeel won back-to-back races earlier this prep after coming over from New Zealand including a one length victory over Ayrton in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m) at Sandown.
He was far from disgraced in elite grade last time out on October 8 when only 1.35 lengths off Tuvalu in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) ahead of his all-important run in Sydney this weekend.
Trainer Chris Waller also has three Golden Eagle contenders in 2022 looking for his second success after taking out the inaugural edition with Kolding.
The best fancied of the Waller contingent despite a wide draw is Group 1 winning mare Hinged ($13) to be ridden by three-time Melbourne Cup winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy.
She comes off back-to-back Group 1 thirds behind subsequent Cox Plate winner Anamoe in the George Main and then Ellsberg in the Epsom.
Waller also has the imported Welwal ($18) on debut down under with popular international hoop Frankie Dettori to ride and another of his Group 1 winning mares Fangirl ($20) out wide with Hugh Bowman aboard.
Other notable Golden Eagle horses this spring include the resuming David Vandyke-trained Gypsy Goddess ($17), Godolphin’s widely-drawn Silver Eagle champion Vilana ($17) with the outside alley to overcome and the Hawkes Racing-trained Mr Mozart ($19) who is in the second widest gate after his Silver Eagle second.
The 2022 XXXX Golden Eagle is set to run as Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEDT) on Rosehill’s bumper 10-race card on Saturday.
In Melbourne, Flemington will host Victoria Derby Day after which the official 2022 Melbourne Cup final field and barrier draw announcement will be made live from headquarters.
