The third edition of The Golden Eagle is finally here, with a capacity field of 18 four-year-olds facing the starter, with four emergencies waiting in the wings for a late call up. With $7.5M on offer, The Golden Eagle is a massive drawing card for the best four-year-olds, as evidenced by the fact that there are three internationals, albeit now being trained in Australia, that have come out for the race.
Dabble currently, as of Wednesday morning, has I’m Thunderstruck as $4.20 favourite. The gelding comes into this after taking out the 1600m G1 Toorak Handicap at the beginning of the Caulfield Cup carnival, earning favouritism for this race from that performance. Private Eye is another last start handicap winner, winning the Epsom Handicap to start the month, and is priced on the next line of betting, at $7, because of it. Following the barrier draw, Apache Chase, who drew perfectly in barrier 6, got brought in from $13 to $8.50, to be the only other runner currently in single-figure odds.
💪 Private Eye was purchased for $62,500 at the 2019 @mmsnippets Adelaide Yearling Sale.
He’s earned $1,446,460 in prizemoney and is about to contest the $7.5 million #GoldenEagle. pic.twitter.com/ZSSe5jDm7N
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 25, 2021
However, you don’t worry about the odds, the form or the analysis, we have done everything for you! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2021 Golden Eagle, along with The Shark’s Golden Eagle best tips.
1. Private Eye (17) – $7
Jockey – Nash Rawiller
Trainer – Joseph Pride
Had a very impressive win in the Epsom, settling back and swooping over the top of Dalasan and Aramayo. Has had a very successful career to date, winning 8 of 13 starts, and has been kept fresh since that Epsom win, being four weeks between runs here. The wide draw isn’t great, but he typically settles towards the back anyway, plus with the services of Nash Rawiller, who is in red-hot form, he will have every chance to win.
2. I’m Thunderstruck (10) – $4.20
Jockey – Hugh Bowman
Trainer – Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
I’m Thunderstruck is an incredibly talented four-year-old and showed us that with his win in the Toorak Handicap three weeks ago. While he was extremely well off in the weights there, being 6kg better off than second placed and 5.5kg better off than what he will run with today, he did have an impressive win against his own age while carrying 60kg three runs ago. The fact that he has a low draw is massive, as he can find cover and then burst through with his impressive turn-of-foot and is the favourite for a reason.
3. Aegon (20) – $26
Jockey – Jason Collett
Trainer – Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
Aegon may be a bit of a forgotten runner in the race, given he has seven weeks off from racing after bleeding during his Makybe Diva run. However, his run before that, when first up, he finished just 2.2L back in 4th in the Memsie Stakes, which is an extremely good formline considering Tofane finished 2nd in that race, and almost beat I’m Thunderstruck last start, and is short-priced favourite for the Empire Rose this weekend. He may need a heap of luck from the draw but at set weights against his own age seems to be a big go at the odds.
4. Apache Chase (6) – $8.50
Jockey – Jim Byrne
Trainer – Desleigh Forster
There are a few things lining up for Apache Chase in this one. He has drawn perfectly, considering he likes to sit up on the speed, and has impressed Jim Byrne enough that he is giving up a full card of rides at Eagle Farm just to ride the gelding in this race. He has won four of his last six races, however one of those defeats came to Private Eye over 1600m on a soft track earlier this year. He would prefer the track to stay as dry as possible, as all seven career wins have been on good surfaces, but he is 1/1 third up and looks in terrific condition for this race.
5. Aysar (15) – $101
Jockey – Jay Ford
Trainer – Ben & JD Hayes
Did finish just 0.4L behind I’m Thunderstruck in the Sir Rupert Clarke two starts ago but Aysar was given the perfect run while I’m Thunderstruck had plenty of excuses. He seems to find ways to finish close without sealing the deal, and while he is better than a $101 chance, he won’t feature in this one.
Aim takes earnings over $1.6m with smart victory in the $500k Silver Eagle at @royalrandwick. By @widdenstud Victoria’s Star Witness (21 SWs), Aim was sold by @NewhavenPark to @Chinahorseclub, @NewgateFarm & co. for $200k at the 2019 Gold Coast @mmsnippets #ItPaysToBuyAustralian pic.twitter.com/pCLZWsceiV
— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) October 9, 2021
6. Aim (14) – $34
Jockey – Andrew Adkins
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden
The winner of the Silver Eagle, the traditional lead-up for this race, and also the most decorated runner in the race with $1.7M already to his name, Aim is well over the odds in our opinion. He beat Ellsberg in that race, who is rated an $11 chance here, and is also 2/4 from second up from a spell. He is another who has all his best form on good tracks and there is a question over the fact that Hugh Bowman jumps off from that Silver Eagle win in order to ride I’m Thunderstruck in the Golden Eagle, which may say a lot about how that horse is going.
7. Amish Boy (11) – $34
Jockey – Kathy O’Hara
Trainer – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Amish Boy started his prep off very nicely, finishing behind Masked Crusader and ahead of Oxley Road, with both of those horses winning at G2 level since. However, he has come out and run 9th and 7th in his two runs prior, being 2.2L off I’m Thunderstruck in the former while the latter was in the Silver Eagle. He has finished in the top three in 10/19 runs but has only won once, meaning he should be there abouts but will need a heap of improvement to actually win.
8. Exoboom (12) – $26
Jockey – Lee Magorrian
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden
After an impressive finish to steal the Filante Handicap last week, Exoboom is on the quick back-up in the Golden Eagle. However, that quality looks a step or two down from this race here, evidenced by his 9th place finish in the Silver Eagle two weeks earlier. He did get bumped, in a race with lots of bumping, but will need to find another leg if he is a chance.
9. Ellsberg (1) – $11
Jockey – Joshua Parr
Trainer – Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Ellsberg was a well-backed favourite and had genuine excuses in the Silver Eagle, getting checked badly as he was building momentum then going down by 0.12L to Aim. He is just a genuine honest operator, finishing in the top three in 10/11 runs, including being 4:2-2-0 at Rosehill. Most of his best form is first up from a spell, and he is third up here, but he does have a 3L win over Private Eye this year.
10. Love Tap (3) – $34
Jockey – Robbie Dolan
Trainer – Richard & Michael Freedman
The big grey, Love Tap, can be quite hit or miss. He has won five of his nine races but hasn’t placed in the other four, indicating that he is a horse where he may need it all on his terms. He does draw perfectly to shoot forward, has good stats at both the distance and the track and was competitive against the older horses last start. He will give himself every chance up on the speed but may be out-classed here.
11. Count De Rupee (4) – $13
Jockey – Brock Ryan
Trainer – Robert & Luke Price
Another to come out of The Silver Eagle, Count De Rupee finished just 0.6L back in third but probably suffered the worst interference of the lot. He genuinely had to jump sideways at the top of the straight to avoid bumping horses and had to straighten back up and was still able to burst home. He has drawn perfectly down low to find some cover but still be forward in the running and has never missed the place at Rosehill. He has form on both good and soft tracks and looks to be a good chance, being an exotics play at the least.
12. Laws Of Indices (19) – $16
Jockey – Tommy Berry
Trainer – Annabel Neasham
The first of the international runners, with Tommy Berry on for Annabel Neasham. Laws of Indices would have been hoping for a better draw but does have a win over 1400m on soft ground two starts ago and has three wins from 11 career starts. He does seem to do his best work after having a run under the belt already, which isn’t a good sign with him being first up off an 18-week break, but does get a 1kg reprieve on the other male horses, being a European three-year-old.
“He’s going to have a good gallop tomorrow, just a classy horse, if we have him right it’ll take a very good horse to beat him”@JohnOSheaRacing on his highly regarded import MAXIMAL ahead of his attempt at the Golden Eagle.#Bensley@AndrewBensley @RosemontStud pic.twitter.com/j05EeIUBmu
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) October 17, 2021
13. Maximal (22) – $12
Jockey – Alysha Collett
Trainer – John O’Shea
A very exciting runner, who is a three-quarter brother to the legendary Frankel. Given he likes racing on the speed, connections wouldn’t have wanted to draw the carpark, but he has finished top two in six of his eight runs and seems to have some nice speed about him. First up last prep he finished 2nd to Hurricane Lane, which is easily the best formline in this race. If he can overcome the wide draw, he is one of the better chances to win and we get him at each-way odds.
14. Reve De Vol (7) – $26
Jockey – Brodie Loy
Trainer – Annabel Neasham
The last of the three internationals, brought over by the well-renowned syndications of OTI, trained by Annabel Neasham. He may be the least credentialed of the three, but they wouldn’t have brought him out here and run him in this race first up if they didn’t think he had a chance, and he has also drawn the best of the three. All his form is on soft tracks, so he will be hoping that the rain comes as expected.
15. Forbidden Love (16) – $26
Jockey – Jean Van Overmeire
Trainer – Richard & Michael Freedman
After an impressive third in The Invitation last week, racing up on a very fast speed, Forbidden Love is on the quick back-up for the $7.5M Golden Eagle. While this prep has been a bit short of her best, with last week’s third being her first placing from four runs this time, she has been racing against older horses and still has five wins and five placings from 17 starts. The wide draw hurts but if she can go forward and find cover, she has the speed to win this.
16. Vangelic (5) – $21
Jockey – Tim Clark
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Vangelic’s run in The Silver Eagle is an easy forgive-job, given she was involved in the big pile up and didn’t run out the race. She was impressive in last week’s Invitation, but was fading towards the end while others, including Forbidden Love, ran over the top. Has to be respected as she is super consistent but is an exotics play at best.
17. Media Award (9) – $41
Jockey – Jack Martin
Trainer – Chris Calthorpe
Another mare from The Invitation, Media Award finished further back in the pack than the previous two but was first up from a spell, which isn’t her best going. She has finished in the top two in both her second up runs and went 3/3 last prep, ending with a G1 Australasian Oaks win over 2000m, but will need to find something to compete here, based on last week’s run.
18. Atishu (18) – $26
Jockey – Glyn Schofield
Trainer – Chris Waller
This Waller-trained Atishu has had a great prep, with two wins from four tries and a valiant 6th in the Epsom Handicap last start. The wide draw doesn’t do her any favours given she would prefer to be up on the speed, but could follow a few across and find cover. The knock is that she has five wins from eight runs as favourite but just one win from five runs when not, indicating that she may just be a soft-kill only type of horse.
Atishu kept grinding away and found the line first in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap.@cwallerracing @clarkyhk @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/4Wq2sZIcSW
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 18, 2021
19e. Kiku (SCR)
20e. Our Playboy (2) – $101
Jockey – TBC
Trainer – Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
While he will relish the conditions if the rain comes as planned, he is second emergency and needs a heap of luck to get in.
21e. Wheelhouse (13) – $101
Jockey – TBC
Trainer – Chris Waller
You can never doubt Chris Waller, but he had a stinker last weekend and Wheelhouse is the third emergency so he likely won’t see the starter.
22e. Blondeau (8) – $201
Jockey – TBC
Trainer – Chris Waller
Another that relishes the wet but won’t be running as the fourth emergency.
Final Word
This is certainly an interesting race, with plenty of chances to come out on top, and it makes it even more tough to pick a winner as there is only two years of history to go off. While both of the previous winners were priced at $10 or less, the two favourites, in 2019 and 2020, finished 5th and 17th respectively. Does that mean that you should stay away from the $4.20 favourite, I’m Thunderstruck?
Both Kolding and Colette came out of the Epsom Handicap, with the former winning the race before winning The Golden Eagle, so does that mean that Private Eye should have your money here? When looking at the last two years, the six placings have been filled by four mares and just two males, so do mares like Forbidden Love or Atishu deserve some love? Well, Private Eye, Forbidden Love and Atishu are all good chances and could very well win this, but we are bucking the form from the previous two years and taking the horse that looks like it is the best in the race – I’m Thunderstruck.
⛈️⛈️⛈️
I’m Thunderstruck claims the Group 1 Toorak Handicap. @jyemcneil @mickpriceracing pic.twitter.com/N0BOWLBA0d
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 9, 2021
He had no luck at all in the Sir Rupert Clarke, getting checked when straightening up and still powering home for a narrow third. He then came out in the Toorak Handicap and powered home for the win, after having a tough run throughout the race. While he does rise in weights to run here, Private Eye has an even bigger jump in weights from his Epsom Handicap win, and he is second favourite.
With Hugh Bowman on board, the low draw and winning form, I’m Thunderstruck has every chance to take out the 2021 $7.5M Golden Eagle and stamp himself as the best of his age group. We are that confident that we don’t need to use any bet returns on some other agencies, we are heading straight to Dabble and using a ‘Rocket Boost’, to get I’m Thunderstruck’s odds as high as possible!
Best Golden Eagle Tip: I’m Thunderstruck – Win ($4.20)
Don’t stop there, The Golden Eagle is one of just seven feature races across both Rosehill and Flemington this Saturday! We have done a runner-by-runner preview on all seven, so you just need to read, agree, place your bets and watch the winnings come in:
- Victoria Derby – Analysis Here!
- Coolmore Stud Stakes – Analysis Here!
- Kennedy Cantala Stakes – Analysis Here!
- Empire Rose Stakes – Analysis Here!
- Classique Legend (Winner) Stakes – Analysis Here!
- Rosehill Gold Cup – Analysis Here!
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our Golden Eagle page for all your punting needs!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of Dabble.
