The 2024 Golden Eagle at Rosehill delivered a thrilling upset, with the UK raider Lake Forest claiming victory in a thrilling finish. Trained by William Haggas and ridden by Cieren Fallon, Lake Forest defied the odds to secure the $10 million prize.
Lake Forest wins the 2024 Golden Eagle. Photo: Steve Hart.
“Unbelievable. Wow, I can’t believe it. Lost for words,” Fallon said.
“Everything went to Plan A. Tuck in, we knew we had a lot of speed and had to save his turn of foot. I thought if we used too much energy early on, we’d have been taking away our turn of foot.
“So, I had to ride him quite brave and hope we got a bit of luck. And we got a few gaps up there.
“Obviously, Stefano helped me get a few gaps there and, you know, what a horse.
“He’s a superstar, he’s such an easy ride. He’s quite cheeky. He’s got a bit about him. And to ride for the boss, he places his horses very well, I think he’s the best in the world at it.
“I’ve been with him since day one, he’s looked after me, so to have faith in me to put me up on mounts like this, I’m very grateful, and I’m glad I could repay the favour.”
Fallon’s masterful ride was instrumental in Lake Forest’s success. He perfectly timed his run, unleashing a powerful burst in the final stages to overtake the favoured Lazzat. The French raider, Lazzat, had led the field for much of the race but couldn’t hold off Lake Forest’s late surge.
This victory adds to Haggas’ growing reputation as a successful international trainer. His ability to prepare horses for overseas races has been evident, and Lake Forest’s triumph further solidifies his status.
Tom Kitten, representing Godolphin, finished in third place, providing some consolation for the Australian contingent. However, the day belonged to Lake Forest and the connections behind him.
“We knew he has an explosive turn of foot. If you watch some of his other races, he’s so fast towards the end. And Cieren has ridden that so beautifully, and that was the plan, sit back, let them all kill themselves in front and come through to finish. But a really brave ride from Ceiren. And Oh my God, how exciting,” stable representative Isabelle Paul told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win.
The 2024 Golden Eagle will be remembered for the thrilling finish, the unexpected victory of Lake Forest, and the outstanding performance of Cieren Fallon. This race showcased the global nature of horse racing and the excitement it can bring.
2024 The Golden Eagle Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | LAKE FOREST (GB) | William Haggas | Cieren Fallon | 8 | 56.5kg | $19 | |||
| 2 | 12 | LAZZAT (FR) | Jerome Reynier | Antonio Orani | 0.51L | 12 | 56.5kg | $4.80 | ||
| 3 | 3 | TOM KITTEN | James Cummings | Ben Melham | 0.58L | 2 | 57.5kg | $13 | ||
| 4 | 17 | MAKARENA | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Tyler Schiller | 1.3L | 20 | 55.5kg | $61 | ||
| 5 | 15 | STEFI MAGNETICA | Bjorn Baker | Zac Lloyd (a) | 1.96L | 4 | 55.5kg | $11 | ||
| 6 | 11 | PORT LOCKROY | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Adam Hyeronimus | 2.11L | 9 | 57.5kg | $101 | ||
| 7 | 16 | JOLIESTAR | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 2.45L | 11 | 55.5kg | $8.50 | ||
| 8 | 10 | WAR MACHINE (NZ) | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | Jay Ford | 3.06L | 7 | 57.5kg | $71 | ||
| 9 | 1 | SOUTHPORT TYCOON | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 3.2L | 15 | 57.5kg | $15 | ||
| 10 | 18 | SKYBIRD | Mitchell Freedman | Beau Mertens | 3.93L | 16 | 55.5kg | $61 | ||
| 11 | 6 | ENCAP | Gary Portelli | Jason Collett | 3.96L | 1 | 57.5kg | $41 | ||
| 12 | 19 | ASCOLI PICENO (JPN) | Yoichi Kuroiwa | Joao Moreira | 4.31L | 17 | 54.5kg | $3.10F | ||
| 13 | 4 | OSTRAKA | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Chad Schofield | 5.1L | 13 | 57.5kg | $26 | ||
| 14 | 9 | KINTYRE | Gary Portelli | Reece Jones | 5.74L | 3 | 57.5kg | $151 | ||
| 15 | 13 | CRAIG (GB) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Nash Rawiller | 5.83L | 5 | 56.5kg | $17 | ||
| 16 | 5 | GRIFF | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Gibbons | 7.89L | 6 | 57.5kg | $151 | ||
| 17 | 7 | XIDAKI | Peter Snowden | Tom Sherry | 8.11L | 10 | 57.5kg | $71 | ||
| 18 | 8 | CHRYSAOR | Chris Waller | Regan Bayliss | 10.41L | 14 | 57.5kg | $101 | ||
| 19 | 2 | VEIGHT | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Harry Coffey | 18.09L | 18 | 57.5kg | $41 | ||
| 20 | 20 | CORAZON BEAT (JPN) | Shizuya Kato | Tommy Berry | 21.22L | 19 | 54.5kg | $81 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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