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Tips by Brad Gray

Brad Gray profiles every runner in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

1.PRIVATE EYE (17)
Trainer: Joe Pride
Jockey: Nash Rawiller

Private Eye (Pic: Steve Hart)

Rattled home from last to win the Epsom Handicap a month ago, appreciating the hectic tempo up front but his closing splits were dominant. Showed first up in the Show County over 1200m that he had returned in brilliant order, clocking sizzling sectionals before having genuine excuses for his two subsequent unplaced runs in the Theo Marks and Bill Ritchie. The past two winners of the Golden Eagle, Kolding and Collette, both ran in the Epsom prior - and both had a little tickover trial in between. It’s the exact campaign that Joe Pride has mirrored with Private Eye going into this year. Love how he attacked the line in his trial too. Nothing will be finishing harder. It's just comes down to how much head start he'll be giving away on a firm Rosehill deck.

2. I’M THUNDERSTRUCK (10)
Trainer: Mich Price & Michael Kent Jnr
Jockey: Hugh Bowman

Didn’t run in the Epsom last start but did tackle the Melbourne equivalent, winning a Group One handicap against older horses. That was of course the Toorak. He deserved nothing less after running a luckless third in the G1 Rupert Clark the start prior. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper profiles as a rising star winning five of his eight starts. It was only three starts ago he won a three-year-old handicap at Moonee Valley. He draws perfectly for Hugh Bowman, who has rushed back to Sydney to ride him, to balance him up just off midfield giving him plenty of time to click through his gears. There is a little query coming back from 1600m to 1500m as he profiles like a 2000m horse in time but he is going to be thundering through the line himself, and maps to be in front of Private Eye in the run.

3. AEGON (20)
Trainer: Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
Jockey: Jason Collett

The Kiwi returns to Rosehill for this first time since impressing in the Hobartville back in February this year. It was a brilliant win on soft ground. That saw him jump $2.60 favourite in the Randwick Guineas but he never looked likely, finishing midfield. Resumed this preparation at Caulfield in the G1 Memsie and didn’t have much luck behind Behemoth, running fourth. The market gravitated towards Aegon in the G1 Makybe Diva, where he started $9 against the likes of Incentivise and Mo’unga but after looming menacingly at the top of the straight he quickly dropped out. It was too bad to be true and left Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman scratching their heads. Has impressed his co-trainers enough since then to send him back over to Australia. Would perhaps prefer the sting out of the ground if his Australian runs are any guide and the barrier probably means Jason Collett will have to ride for luck.

4. APACHE CHASE (6)
Trainer: Desleigh Forster
Jockey: Jim Byrne

Has form through all of the right horses and takes luck out of the equation with his free-running style. Draws to sit on the shoulder of likely leader Vangelic and certainly get his chance. The Queenslander beat Desert Lord first up before running down Emerald Kingdom second up. The son of Better Than Ready knocked off Ayrton in the Fred Best last preparation before being sent around a $6.50 pop in the Stradbroke. It didn’t unfold how Desleigh Forster would have hoped, however. The start prior to the Fred Best he started $2.40 in the Queensland Guineas only for Private Eye to run him down late. Even his placing to Isotope before winning the Vo Rogue reads well now. Has won seven of his 14 starts on good tracks and you know exactly where he is going to be, daring his rivals to run him down. Probably looks the winner at some point on Saturday.

5. AYSAR (15)
Trainer: Ben & JD Hayes
Jockey: Jay Ford

Hasn't quite gone on with it at four having shown so much at three. The son of Deep Field was only just nailed on the line by Ole Kirk in the Caulfield Guineas twelve months ago. He went too fast in the early stages of the Aurie's Star first up before three subsequent runs where he finished thereabout without ever really threatening. Was only beaten 0.4L by I'm Thunderstruck in the G1 Rupert Clarke with Probabeel and Behemoth finishing on his heels. He was a touch flattered there but he deserves his spot in this field. Could be the x-factor as far as the speed in the race goes.

6. AIM (14)
Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden
Jockey: Andrew Adkins

Paul and Peter Snowden 

Aim has won four races. Three of them have been at the prices of $15, $31 and $31. When everything falls into place for him he has shown in the past that he is capable of producing big closing splits. He was one of the few horses in the Silver Eagle that wasn't taken off his line by the scrimmage, in fact, the seas parted at exactly the right time for Hugh Bowman and Aim on the back of it. Will get the firm surface he needs and although he failed at his only previous run beyond 1500m, when eighth in the G1 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old, forgive him that. Not in the numbers, but with Aim being Aim, reluctant to rule him out completely.

7. AMISH BOY (11)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Jockey: Kathy O'Hara

Might have the most deceptive overall record of any horse currently racing in Australia with just one win from 19 starts. His sole win came in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at Mornington but he has subsequently placed in six Group races. One of those being in the G1 Newmarket behind Zoutori. He thundered home in the Fred Best last campaign running Apache Chase to 0.3L, where Ayrton ran second. A race that is looking more and more important as a reference for this year’s Golden Eagle. He resumed at Caulfield over 1100m and it took a touch of brilliance from Masked Crusader for him to be beaten. Thought his Silver Eagle run was a touch inconclusive. He was dragged back to last and although to the eye he looked a touch flat, he did clock the race's third quickest last 200m split. There is a little query over him running a strong 1500m out.

8. EXOBOOM (12)
Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden
Jockey: Lee Magorrian

Peter and Paul Snowden were desperate to get Exoboom into the Golden Eagle and having beaten a handy field at Randwick last Saturday, the stable get their wish. The quick back up was a nostril hair away from working for Icebath last year too. This gelding found the 1100m too short first up before the inference in the Silver Eagle second up knocked the stuffing out of him. He finished ninth but it was a complete forgive. The son of Exoboom appreciated the hectic tempo set by Emerald Kingdom to produce a sweeping win down the middle of the track just seven days ago. Has won out to 1500m in the past so the trip holds no fears. Like Count De Rupee, he was beaten a long way by Apache Chase in the Fred Best last preparation but that too wasn’t a fair reflection of his ability.

9. ELLSBERG (1)
Trainer: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Jockey: Josh Parr

It's hard to ignore Ellsberg's two runs over the Rosehill 1500m. The chestnut has run over the track and trip twice for a totally dominant four length romp and a second to Kirwan’s Lane, with a whopping seven lengths back to third. It was a race Ellsberg wins nine times out of 10 with a performance equal to what he produced but Kirwan’s Lane just jumped out of the ground, surpassing anything he’d ever done in the past, and since. Ellsberg was another one taken off his line in the Silver Eagle yet he knuckled down to finish a narrow second, coming again through the line. The set up for 1400m back to 1300m was hardly ideal but was the run he simply had to have. Sets up to run somewhere near his best which sees him become a player from up on top of the speed. The map looks perfect too, with the box seat there for the taking. Beat Private Eye comfortably in their only previous clash.

10. LOVE TAP (3)
Trainer: Richard & Michael Freedman
Jockey: Robbie Dolan

Love Tap (Pic: Steve Hart)

Is he good enough to win? Not sure, but he could not get a better set up to run up to his best. The grey raced his way through the country grades to jump $1.70 in a Gloaming Stakes before finding Montefilia and Lion's Roar too powerful in the G1 Spring Champion. Love Tap lost his way briefly thereafter before a fast win at Kembla Grange second up saw him back on punter's radars. Subsequently had his chance in the Shannon Stakes won by Yonkers, carrying 53kg and being hard in the market. Like that he has been kept fresh for this, with five weeks between runs, draws perfectly to trail the speed and he gets a firm deck. Could have trialled a touch sharper in between runs but don't want to be too critical of a trial.

11. COUNT DE RUPEE (4)
Trainer: Robert & Luke Price
Jockey: Brock Ryan

Mizzy, Dawn Passage and Icebath all ran in the Silver Eagle before placing in the Golden Eagle, so although it’s thought to be the ‘second tier’ of contenders, don’t be too quick to dismiss it. Particularly when it come to assessing the chances of Kembla Grange-based gelding Count De Rupee. There were plenty of hard luck stories in the Silver Eagle but perhaps none more so than this son of Real Impact. He was nearly turned sideways half way down the straight yet still dusted himself off to make a charge, finishing third. He was only beaten 0.6L so it’s not a stretch to say he’d have won, and won well, with a smoother passage home. Was beaten five lengths by Apache Chase in the Fred Best last preparation but that wasn’t one of his better performances and he has returned better again this time back.

12. LAWS OF INDICIES (19)
Trainer: Annabel Neasham
Jockey: Tommy Berry

Has been stamped with a benchmark rating of 106 straight off the plane. That says everything about this imports quality. The Irish-bred galloper won a Group One in France only two starts ago, back in July, where he beat Thunder Moon over 1400m. In fact, five of his past eight starts have been in Group One company. Forget the latest of those at Deauville as he nearly got put over the inside fence just as he was hitting his top. He was a Group Two winner over 1200m as a two-year-old. He’s a sharp horse. Cast your mind back to 2019 which retrospectively turned out to be an incredibly deep Golden Eagle and Beat Le Bon ran sixth. This import has significantly better credentials given his form around world class galloper Poetic Flare. Remember what Annabel Neasham did with Zaaki at his first Australian run? The best scenario for the import from the wide draw is finding a three-wide running line. Would be surprised if he doesn't run well.

13. MAXIMAL (22)
Trainer: John O'Shea
Jockey: Alysha Collett

John O'Shea (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Hasn’t been running exclusively in Group One races like Law Of Indicies but that's deceptive as he has form around Group One horses, world class horses even, in subsequent Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane, Poetic Flare and the unbeaten star galloper Baaeed. Hence he only has a benchmark rating of 95 at the moment, winning one of his eight starts. The three-quarter bother to Frankel was bought specifically with the Golden Eagle in mind. He’ll even race in the same colours as Frankel. It’s too simplistic to draw a straight line using Poetic Flare as a benchmark but it’s worth noting that Maximal was beaten 5.2L by Poetic Flare when they clashed at Royal Ascot while Law Of Indicies ran Poetic Flare to 2.7L in Ireland. It was hard to not be impressed by Maximal’s gallop at Canterbury recently where he looked much sharper than Law of Indicies. Again, the best scenario for him also looks to be to find a three-wide trail.

14. REVE DE VOL (7)
Trainer: Annabel Neasham
Jockey: Brodie Loy

Like Law Of Indicies, this imported gelding is also being prepared by Annabel Neashem, arriving with a benchmark rating of 95. Looking back through his eight runs, he is more a Group Three/Listed level horse. That said, the son of French stallion Siyouni is still very lightly raced. He won his maiden over 1400m as a two-year-old but ever since then has steadily crept out in trip, winning for the second time out to 2000m at the Curragh in Listed company. Neasham has purposefully kept Reve De Vol fresh ahead of tackling 1500m at his Australian debut which gives him the best chance to prove sharp enough over the trip given he profiles more as a staying type. Doesn’t have brilliance of Law Of Indicies or Maximal but he’ll be strong late and draws much better. Should have enough speed to hold a midfield spot, if not a touch worse than midfield. Was beaten just 1.8L by State Of Rest back in 2020 over 1400m.

15. FORBIDDEN LOVE (16)
Trainer: Richard & Michael Freedman
Jockey: Jean Van Overmeire

Have been waiting for her to reproduce anything like her exceptional win in the G1 Surround Stakes last autumn, but it hasn’t come. That day she put three lengths on Vangelic, letting down in a manner that saw her jump a $10 chance in the Doncaster two starts later. Like the way she ran over 1100m in the Toy Show first up giving away weight suggesting she was right on track for her spring targets but she never looked likely in her two subsequent runs. Perhaps she has just been desperate for a more truly run race, which she’s likely to get on Saturday. Pinched third last Saturday in The invitation despite being momentarily held up. Has never backed up within seven days before but she might just be coming good at the right time.

16. VANGELIC (5)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Jockey: Tim Clark

Tim Clark threw on the balaclava and dead set stole the Golden Pendant from in front on this mare three starts ago, giving nothing else a chance. She was then severely hampered in the Silver Eagle, taking no part. Was subsequently only beaten 1.7L in The Invitation last Saturday but given the slow lead speed, she was entitled to do more. That being said, Intriviere did eyeball her at exactly the time when Clark was trying to get a little breather before slipping clear turning for home. The question we are left to ask now is whether the Silver Eagle run has affected her. If Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are happy to press on, however, it tells us everything we need to know. Out to 1500m is a positive being fifth up and she maps to lead this field up.

17. MEDIA AWARD (9)
Trainer: Chris Calthorpe
Jockey: Jack Martin

The Australasian Oaks winner at Morphettville was handed an Invitation to Randwick’s new $2m feature and although she ran eighth, it was a better performance than it reads on paper. When Kerrin McEvoy whipped up on her outside on Icebath, forcing her into an awkward spot it was race over. She was never going to quicken as well as genuine 1400m type mares. Did like the way she ran through the line late to only be beaten three lengths. The query here is how sharp she’ll be second up on the quick back up getting only an extra 100m. This race is certainly no easier either. Geelong-based trainer Chris Calthorpe has called upon Jack Martin to do the steering, a jockey that already has an affinity with the mare.

18. ATISHU (18)
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Glyn Schofield

Glyn Schofield (Pic: Steve Hart)

It’d be easy to overlook the merit in this mare’s last start sixth in the Epsom. After jumping from barrier 11, Kathy O’Hara managed to land one-out-one-back. It was a brilliant ride, perhaps too brilliant, however. As it turned out, the frantic tempo set by Ashman saw the backmarkers come into play. Through the first 600m, Atishu went seven lengths faster than Private Eye. Now look where the other on pace runners finished. With the exception of Dalasan, a hardened weight for age horse, Ashman, Riodini, Harmony Rose and Discharged all tailed off. Atishu boxed on bravely to be beaten just 1.7L at the finish. The former Kiwi-trained mare has hit the ground running for Chris Waller and prior to the barrier draw, she looked one of the best roughies to cause a minor upset. Now, not so much.

EMERGENCIES:

KIKU (21)
Sets up to run the best race of her campaign now, with two runs under her belt. Has also accepted in Melbourne.

OUR PLAYBOY (2)
Was beaten just shy of seven lengths by Apache Chase first up and is yet to fire a shot on a good track in 10 runs.

WHEELHOUSE (13)
Not the worst here. Found 1200m too sharp in the Sydney Stakes when seventh behind Big Parade but times suggest that'll be a deep form reference.

BLONDEAU (8)
Clocked the quickest closing splits in the Silver Eagle when fourth behind Aim. The 1500m would stretch him though.

TIPS:
9. ELLSBERG
4. APACHE CHASE
1. PRIVATE EYE
2. I'M THUNDERSTRUCK

Check out the form and replays for all 18 Golden Eagle contenders for yourself.