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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill.

The rail is in the True and a good track expected.

2. Rule The World is a no nonsense son of Hallowed Crown that won two from two in his first racing campaign. The three-year-old managed to stack his rivals up on both occasions and there is more pressure engaged here than what he has encountered in the past but with the blinkers on for the first time and drawn barrier 1, he'll give a sight. From what we have seen of him to date, he has the ability to quicken from on top of the speed. Has trialled well enough to suggest he is forward for the 1400m first up.

Dangers: 4. Faretti took a sit last start and overraced in the middle stages. He wasn’t the cleanest away first up either but was able to punch up from barrier 1. Stretches out to 1400m on the back up. Happy to bet around him again, even with Nash going on. Especially given 6. Moreno and 7. Special Snap will be coming across from wide gates to be handy. 11. Indy Car was visually outstanding on debut winning at Newcastle but she was flattered given the way Mercury staggered to the line late. Has big upside, however, and it was no surprise to see support as soon as markets went up.

How to play it: How to play it: Rule The World WIN ($4 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Speed drawn right across the track is what we’ve come to expect in the sprinting Highways and it’s no different here. Was with 4. Zardoro last time out and he never saw daylight so want to give him the chance to atone. The six-year-old was nine weeks between runs, specifically targeting The Everest Day meeting but can only strip fitter and his record at Rosehill (4:2-1-0) is outstanding, having already won two Highways on the track he was originally trained at (he was with Chris Waller before being transferred to Terry Robinson before his first start). Tommy Berry will have Zardoro in a stalking midfield position from the middle gate which will give him his chance in a typically even race.

Dangers: 1. Coup De Main faces a task from the draw and with 60kg but he’s hard fit now and well placed back to 1200m. The last time he raced over 1200m at Rosehill he ran second to Noble Boy. It’s easy to forget how lightly-raced he still is. Forgive 10. Plonka’s last start effort in Highway company when trapped wide throughout. The worry is he doesn’t map particularly well this week from another wide draw. Has the ability though. 13. Hard Merchandise has run a string of seconds but should get a lovely trail here and can figure at odds.

How to play it: Zardoro WIN ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Zardoro had no luck trying to sneak up the fence

1. Asterius did enough first up over 1400m at Randwick where the winner Greyworm sat outside of the leader and shot clear. The five-year-old grey was outstanding second up last preparation, at Rosehill, and over 1500m. If he reproduces that effort, where he beat Greshem and 4. Strome by a widening 3.3 lengths, he’ll win this too. After that second up win last campaign Asterius dropped back to 1300m and did a big job to get as close as he did to Passage Of Time given he was 200m back in trip. His overall second up record is strong (4:2-1-1) as is his record this track/trip (3:2-0-1). The speed looks muddling which is the one concern, especially drawn out in the small field giving James McDonald no option other than to ride him out the back. Banking on his turn of foot overcoming that.

Dangers: 6. Thy Kingdom Come beat home Asterius to run second to Greyworm last start so has an obvious case. The five-year-old is winless this campaign and the 1500m is probably as far as he wants but with Nash Rawiller going back on and the likelihood of controlling this race from the front, he'll get his chance. Strome peaked on her run first up over 1200m. Has been a month between runs and jumps straight out to 1500m, which is no easy task. Monitor any moves for 7. Sir Pippin. Won his first two starts in Australia and has trialled sweetly.

How to play it: Asterius WIN ($3.70 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Asterius second up last preparation

2. Special Reward is a new recruit to the Kris Lees yard from WA. First up at Caulfield, when still trained by Simon Miller, the four-year-old started $3.70 in the Listed Testa Rossa but was burnt off by Zoustyle’s speed and finished fifth. The map looks tricky for him from the wide draw but his task to find a spot is made a touch easier with the scratching of stablemate Agent Pippa. The four-year-old son of Demerit has won six of his 10 starts, including four on the bounce last campaign. Has trialled for Lees at Wyong but wasn't asked to do much.

Dangers: Godolphin’s 5. Bea Ideal isn’t far away from posting his first Australian win and looks well placed here. Reelem In Ruby and Handle The Truth have franked the form from his last start fourth. 9. Discussions trialled brilliantly after a forgettable campaign last time out. Joe Pride is of the impression he might need the run but don't discount him running a race at odds fresh off a bleed the last time we saw him. 7. Junglized and 8. Ljungberg are in the mix too. Plenty of chances in this.

How to play it: Special Reward WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Not an easy race to assess but siding with in form mare 10. Eveleigh at odds. The four-year-old has had two starts for trainer Joe Pride and won them both. They were at the provincials but this isn’t the deepest Saturday race. In the first of those wins she beat Brazenpine. That filly has won two of her three subsequent starts and the loss was on protest! Eveleigh then stepped out at Wyong for her second outing since being transferred and rounded up her rivals to win comfortably on the line (the runner up Soul Revival bolted in at Hawkesbury on Wednesday). She has started $21 and $13 which throws another little query into the mix but she is similar odds here so willing to take the gamble that she’ll go forward again. The 1200m looks to suit now third up and with 53.5kg on her back after Robbie Dolan’s claim (he rode her last start too) she’ll run well.

Dangers: 5. Dance Hall Girl failed to fire in the G3 Tibbie (1400m) last start but that was a much deeper race than this and she drops back to 1200m. Drawn barrier 1, expect Brenton Avdulla to be aggressive early to hold the fence. Six weeks between runs. First up this preparation she comfortably accounted for 1. Lisdoonvarna. 2. Miss Invincible is a speedy mare that’ll keep Dance Hall Girl honest in front. She ran third to Agent Pippa last start when every chance. The 1200m looks likely to stretch her. 8. Jen Rules has the class to win this but is hard to catch.

How to play it: Eveleigh EACH WAY ($11 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Eveleigh winning at Wyong last start

Messy speed map which could see 11. Emperor’s Way offset the wide draw with a positive ride. Perhaps 12. Harper’s Choice leads? If that’s the case, Emperor’s Way should get a cart across. The six-year-old found the line well enough first up at Caulfield over 1400m before he caught the eye out to the mile second up at Randwick behind Cascadian. Punters Intelligence shows his last 600m of 33.57s was only a length inferior to the winner’s and the third quickest in the race. There is a sense of timing third up out to 2000m and he carries 53kg, a handy 6kg lighter than the main danger which looks to be 1. Tally. Once Emperor’s Way got out to the staying trip last preparation he mixed it with some classy stayers including running a third at Randwick behind Hiyaam and Shraaoh as well as a second to Grey Lion in the Lord Mayor’s.

Dangers: Terrified of Tally. He deserves his 59kg impost here and strikes the perfect race fourth up having run so well last start in a much deeper race than this. The seven-year-old ran second to Happy Clapper in the G3 Craven Plate at weight-for-age. His two runs prior to that were excellent too. Want to make him a winning result as well so will play both. 10. Antilles has won one from 11 but did run fourth to Costantinople back in May, beaten 5.25 lengths. Hard to assess but doubt there’s an edge given he is the early favourite. 15. Dealmaker has never raced better and gets in very light here but need to be convinced he gets a strong 2000m.

How to play it: Emperor’s Way WIN ($14 TAB Fixed Odds) and Tally WIN ($4) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Tally couldn’t reel in Happy Clapper last start

The Epsom was originally 1. Brutal’s target prior to the spring but a minor setback saw the goal posts shift to having him peaking for the Golden Eagle. It could be a blessing as he is one of the few winning hopes that hasn’t already had his grand final. That’s a huge advantage. He sat outside of Home Of The Brave first up in the Premiere Stakes and won well, with 2. Classique Legend a length back in third. Brutal then ran in the Sydney Stakes, staying at 1200m. The gentle tempo didn’t suit him as Deprive had the superior turn of foot. Out to 1500m is perfect now third up, the same progression which saw him run second to Winx third up last preparation. Barrier 17 looks grim on paper but he has likely leader 14. Sunlight drawn to his immediate inside.

Dangers: It’s hard to say what we learnt from The TAB Everest when it comes to 15. Arcadia Queen. Was it just a flat spot? We’ll never know as she was chopped out soon after. Back to Rosehill, out to 1500m and given what we know she is capable of, desperately want to give her another chance. Always forgive a good horse one bad run but the odds will be the determining factor. The diminutive Tassie 4. The Inevitable was breathtaking at Moonee Valley two starts beating Deprive. That ties the form in through Brutal. Beat off a game 17. Fasika in the Silver Eagle. 3. Kolding’s Epsom win was outstanding, having ridden a brutal speed to be left in front a long way from home.

How to play it: Brutal WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Brutal chased home Winx third up out to 1500m last preparation

Fourth up out to 1300m in a million dollar race, it’s hard to see Tommy Berry riding 1. Pierata too conservatively. The pair will need some luck slotting in from the wide draw but it’s the only possible knock on the five-year-old. Wouldn’t be completely shocked if Pierata eventually landed outside of leader 3. Home Of The Brave. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that and Berry can find some cover though, as the horse is flying. If you need a reminder, he rocketed to the line in the Concorde first up (31.61 last 600m!) before winning The Shorts. He found traffic in The TAB Everest from the inside draw but speared through late when finally clear to run fifth. His last two fourth up runs have produced his Sydney Stakes demolition and his G1 All Aged win.

Dangers: 2. Trekking ripped home from the back in The TAB Everest, suited by the hectic tempo, but clocking the fastest last 600m of any runner (32.52s). The 1300m looks perfect now. He is one dimensional so we know he’ll give away a start. It’ll fall onto stablemate 3. Home Of The Brave’s shoulders as to how this race is run. He probably went too slowly in front in the Sydney Stakes, and would be better suited trying to pinch a winning break as he did when winning the Theo Marks. 6. Deprive won the Sydney Stakes displaying a blistering last 600m. Fearful of that turn of foot. Even Nash Rawiller hasn’t been able to lift 12. Champagne Cuddles across the line but she’ll run well again. 7. Brave Song for the multiples.

How to play it: Pierata WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Pierata didn’t get much room in The TAB Everest

5. Destiny’s Own looks big odds in a very winnable race. The five-year-old only has to return in the form he was in last campaign to be fighting out the finish and his latest trial behind Group One winner Kolding at Rosehill recently suggests he is going just as well, if not better. We know Gerald Ryan’s horses are primed fresh. Drawn 1, Robbie Dolan will have him tucked in behind the leaders and with any luck getting a split, will be hard to hold out. He hit the line sweetly over 1200m first up last preparation to run third before beating El Mo and 10. Charretera. His run behind Kapajack at Rosehill over this 1300m journey was a ripper too, ridden quietly from the wide draw and hitting the line two lengths quicker than the talented winner (34.19s vs 34.48s). Right in this.

Dangers: 3. Outrageous doesn’t have a very inspiring strike rate but his third first up behind Signore Fox and Reelem In Ruby obviously stacks up well here. Hence why he is sto well found. Drops to 57kg after the 3kg claim of Brock Ryan. Little surprised the stable didn’t stick with Tommy Berry, however. 6. Juventus didn’t fire last time out but has been freshened since. His three prior efforts have him in the mix in this. 1. Spring Charlie is much better than what he produced at Port Macquarie first up as the $2.80 favourite. Pulled up with a slow recovery and has trialled well since. He’ll bounce back.

How to play it: Destiny’s Own EACH WAY ($18 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Destiny’s Own trialling against Kolding at Rosehill – October 18

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