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By Ray Hickson

“We don’t really know his limits” was French trainer Jerome Reynier’s response to the question of just how good his unbeaten gelding Lazzat might be.

Lazzat's trainer Jerome Reynier.

A last start Group 1 winner at Deauville, Lazzat brings a record of six wins from as many starts into the $10 million James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

It’s been a target since he won that Group 1, the Prix Maurice De Gheest (1300m) back on August 4, and Reynier said he doesn’t underestimate the task but also has plenty of faith in his horse.

“We’re happy to challenge the international field with the Japanese and the locals, it’s a strong field and looks to be a very interesting race,’’ Reynier said.

“Obviously there’s 19 to beat so it’s a big challenge, it’s a lot of long travel and a lot of changes so you never know what can happen but on what we’ve seen so far he’s one of the best in Europe.

“He has a 1kg allowance being a Northern Hemisphere three-year-old so that’s a little help.

“We’ve been talking for many months about this race, he needed to be in good health and good shape and since his last run we’re happy with him.”

Lazzat, $7 with TAB on Wednesday, has an on pace racing style and given his stature the trainer was comfortable with a middle draw for the Golden Eagle.

He said he’d be content if Lazzat led the field but he’s proven in his six wins that he’s able to adapt, and that will be important to help him get around what he described as a tight Rosehill 1500m.

“I think we’re quite confident he will be running a good race on Saturday,’’ he said.

“If there are some faster horses he will be following them up. We put in a pacemaker in the Paul De Moussac back in June because we didn’t want him to be always up front.

“I think he won’t be ridden too far away, we know he stays the trip. He can cope with any kind of conditions, he’s a very nice horse and he has a real high cruising speed.

“We’re confident this race should suit him well.”

Reynier and Lazzat’s jockey Antonio Orani will walk the Rosehill track on Friday.

The trainer is no stranger to Australia, though Lazzat is his first runner in this country, as he was a member of Godolphin’s Flying Start program.

He said he’d prefer to have a rider that knows the horse and describes Orani as one of the up and coming jockeys in Europe, someone who “will have a lot of trust in his horse and make the best of it”.

When Reynier arrived at Canterbury on Wednesday morning to inspect his horse he was more than satisfied with how he’s travelled and after a solid enough hitout declared he’s ready to go.

“I’m very happy with the way the horse looks and how he’s behaving,’’ he said.

“He’s light on his feet and it’s a good feeling to see him looking so well and acting that way.

“He’s got that really high cruising speed, he doesn’t need anyone, he won the Prix Maurice De Gheest outside the leader and we feel if the race was a longer trip he would have won by a further margin.

Still unbeaten!

Lazzat makes all, storming to G1 glory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest for Antonio Orani and @EcurieReynier... pic.twitter.com/LuNvMQEn2i

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 4, 2024

Lazzat wins the Prix Maurice De Gheest. Video: At The Races

“We’ve been facing the older horses and he won so well that day on fast ground, making 1.15 for the 1300m straight so the time was good and his attitude was perfect.

“Antonio has done nothing wrong with him and he knows the horse. I prefer someone who knows the horse instead of knowing the track.

“If he can achieve it on Saturday it would be amazing for the international racing stage.”

Lazzat’s charity partner for the Golden Eagle is Alzheimer’s Research Australia, which will receive 10 per cent of the prizemoney he earns in the race.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Eagle meeting at Rosehill