The 2020 Golden Eagle will be contested at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and we are set for an extremely interesting race.
Funstar has opened as favourite, but there isn’t much between the Chris Waller-trained mare and the likes of Alligator Blood, Colette and Sierra Sue.
We have analysed the entire field and our complete 2020 Golden Eagle tips can be found below.
Alligator Blood
He is going to need some luck in running from barrier 15, but I still believe that Alligator Blood is the horse to beat in The Golden Eagle.
I think that David Vandyke has set Alligator Blood to peak in The Golden Eagle and there has been plenty to like about his two lead-up runs.
He found the line strongly with the big weight on his back in Brisbane first-up and he wasn’t disgraced behind Flit in The Silver Eagle.
The step-up to 1500 metres is ideal for him and on his best form he does have a genuine ratings edge over the rest of this field.
It would not surprise to see Ryan Maloney ride him aggressively in the early stages of the race and he will give his rivals something to catch.
Brandenburg
Brandenburg has had a fairly disappointing Spring campaign to date.
He wasn’t disgraced in the Epsom Handicap, but he never really looked like a winning chance and he was comfortably beaten by Cuba in the Bill Ritchie Stakes.
I don’t think that he is going well enough to win a race of this quality.
Superstorm
It has been tough to get a read on Superstorm during his Spring campaign.
He started his campaign with fairly flat runs in The Heath and the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and he then went straight to 2000 metres for the Turnbull Stakes.
The drop back to 1600 metres did suit him in the Toorak Handicap and he finished a credible third behind Mr Quickie, but I still think he would need to improve to be a genuine chance in this contest.
Dawn Passage
Dawn Passage will go into The Golden Eagle second-up after he finished third behind Flit and Alligator Blood in The Silver Eagle.
He generally takes a step backwards second-up and that isn’t ideal when he needs to find two lengths of improvement in order to turn-the-tables on his rivals.
The wide barrier draw doesn’t make his task any easier.
Riodini
Riodini has been thereabouts without winning this campaign and he heads into this contest on the back of a career best effort behind Probabeel and Funstar in the Epsom Handicap.
He did get into the Epsom Handicap very well at the weights and he had all the favours in the run, so I still think he would need to improve again to be a genuine winning chance.
I am happy to oppose at $13.
Windstorm
Windstorm has been well-placed by connections during his Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign and it will be interesting to see how he fares at this level.
There was a lot to like about the way that he found the line in the Weekend Hussler Stakes, but he was left with too much work to do in the Moonga Stakes.
He does have upside, but this is the toughest test of his career to date.
Reloaded
Reloaded is still chasing his second career win after racing fairly in both the Tramway Stakes and the Bill Ritchie Stakes this campaign.
It wouldn’t surprise to see him win some sort of feature race at big odds one day, but I don’t think that it will be this one.
Just Thinkin’
Just Thinkin’ hasn’t won for over a year and his past two race starts haven’t inspired a huge amount of confidence.
He looks likely to go forward from the wide barrier draw and he should ensure that the race is run at a genuine tempo.
Bottega
Bottega has been thereabouts without winning in his two race starts this Spring Racing Carnival and this is a genuine step-up in class.
I can’t get him anywhere near as short as his current quote of $15.
Criaderas
Criaderas could be the x-factor in The Golden Eagle field.
He has recorded four wins from his six race starts and he lost no admirers with his fast-finishing second place finish behind Cuba at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
This is easily the toughest test of his career to date and he would need to go to another level, but he does have more upside than a number of the other horses in this field.
Flit
Flit represents outstanding value at her current Golden Eagle odds.
She is far from the most consistent mare in the world, but she is capable of producing a high-rating effort on her day and she did exactly that to beat Alligator Blood in The Silver Eagle.
The wide barrier draw isn’t ideal and there is no doubt that she will need plenty of luck in running, but she is far too good a filly to be going around at $14.
Funstar
There is no doubt that Funstar is one of the leading contenders in The Golden Eagle.
She didn’t have a huge amount of luck in either the Show County Quality or the Theo Marks Stakes, but she returned to her best form with a second place finish behind Probabeel in the Epsom Handicap.
I like the fact that she has had a barrier trial between race starts and she is the most consistent performer of the leading contenders.
I’d rather be on Alligator Blood and Flit at the current odds, but there is no reason why Funstar won’t be right in the mix again.
Colette
Colette has been a touch disappointing during her Sydney Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
She started her preparation with flat efforts in the Tramway Stakes and the George Main Stakes before she showed some signs of life in the Epsom Handicap.
I think that she will be better suited over further and I can’t see her beating the likes of Funstar over 1500 metres.
Subpoenaed
There was plenty of market support for Subpoenaed ahead of The Silver Eagle, but she was no match for Flit and Alligator Blood.
Her win before that in the Golden Pendant was strong, but I’m still not sure that her best form is good enough to match it with the leading contenders in this contest.
Emeralds
Emeralds has gone to another level this campaign and she heads into The Golden Eagle on the back of a career best win in the Angst Stakes.
She will get a long way back in the run from barrier 18 and I’m not sure that she is good enough to finish over the top of her rivals in this contest.
Sierra Sue
Sierra Sue has put together an excellent record and she has now recorded five wins from her seven race starts.
She showed an explosive turn-of-foot to win the Rose Of Kingston Stakes at Flemington last start and she would not have looked out of place in the Empire Rose Stakes.
Barrier one means that she will need luck in running and she will have a wall of horses in front of her at the top of the straight.
All Saints’ Eve
All Saints’ Eve produced a career best performance to win the Tibbie Stakes and she didn’t have a huge amount of luck when she finished seventh in the Angst Stakes.
She is another mare with upside, but I would suggest that The Golden Eagle is beyond her at this stage of her racing career.
Icebath
Icebath was finally able to return to winning form with a dominant victory at Royal Randwick on Saturday and pay back punters that have kept faith with her this preparation.
That was only Benchmark 78 company though and this is a big step-up in class for her.
Stockman
Stockman is the first emergency in The Golden Eagle field.
He looks outclassed at this level.
Enchanted Heart
Enchanted Heart is the second emergency in The Golden Eagle field.
She has shown some promise during her racing career to date, but this is a big step-up in class.
Fender
Fender is the third emergency in The Golden Eagle field.
He looks unlikely to earn a race start.
Air To Air
Air To Air is the fourth emergency in The Golden Eagle field.
She failed to beat home a runner in the Angst Stakes and this level of competition looks completely beyond her.
The Golden Eagle Tip
1 Alligator Blood at $6.50