Exciting two-year-old Amazing Eagle set for debut after seven-length trial win
Gerald Ryan wasn’t expecting his smart two-year-old Amazing Eagle to blow his rivals away in a trial before his debut at Randwick on Saturday.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Amazing Eagle’s eye-catching trial win even surprised Gerald Ryan but the Group 1 trainer wants to see him replicate the performance on race day when the highly-promising colt attempts to lay down a Magic Millions marker at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Amazing Eagle lived up to his name when he soared to a superb 7½-length trial romp at Rosehill Gardens last week.
The smart son of Capitalist is a firm $1.55 favourite to bring that effort to race day where he will make his much anticipated debut in the James Squire 2YO Handicap (1100m) with Tim Clark aboard.
• Schiller questioned after Spywire defeat in Magic Millions preview
“You would like to see him go ahead and produce it on race day,” Ryan said.
“I thought he would trial well but didn’t think he would win the way he did.
“In saying that, he has come on from it and improved from it.
“Only having the one trial you would think he would improve after it too.”
Amazing Eagle is owned by former champion trainer John Moore and a future racing in Hong Kong is a possibility for the colt.
Amazing Eagle is one to watch! 👀
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 4, 2023
The 2YO Capitalist colt showed a great turn of speed to win his debut trial under @Clarkyhk for @GRyanRacing. pic.twitter.com/rsFLtxvlZw
But the unraced youngster still has plenty ahead of him in Australia with Ryan, who trains alongside Sterling Alexiou, keen to claim a big-money scalp this preparation.
Amazing Eagle was a $400,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy earlier this year and will be aimed toward January’s $2m Magic Millions 2YO Classic if all goes to plan.
“He was brought at Magic Millions, spelled and came back in her for 10 days in the end of April and has always been a total professional since he came in,” Ryan said.
“I haven’t crunched him or put him with a mate to see how good he really goes and the trial the other day was the most he has ever done.
“If he holds together we will go up to the Magic Millions and it doesn’t come too quick. He has had the three preparations prior to this one and has had a little poke out of the barriers each time.
“It could come around too quick but he has to win on Saturday and I won’t go chasing it if he does not win.”
• Royal Merchant relishes class drop for easy Wyong win
Even before his first race start, Amazing Eagle has been kept safe in 2YO Classic betting as an $8 TAB chance.
Stablemate Smashing Eagle is raced by the same ownership but a future in Hong Kong is not on his radar.
The son of Shalaa, a $7.50 chance, has had a win and four winners from nine starts this preparation and will get his chance to add another win on the board in the Petaluma Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) with apprentice Dylan Gibbons to ride.
“He is really deep in his preparation but he has held his form and held his looks,” Ryan said.
“This is the first time we have stepped him up to 1200m. All his other races have been 1100m or 1000m.
“He will need to relax and switch off so he can find the line but I am happy with him.”
Grebeni ($5 fav) is another of Ryan and Alexiou’s strong chances on the card as he drops back from stakes grade in the TAB Handicap (1600m).
A Goulburn Cup winner two starts ago, Grebeni finished midfield in the Group 3 Festival Stakes last start where stablemate Williamsburg ran a narrow second.
• Billy Slater and Kris Lees unite for Magic Millions bid
“For the life of me I don’t know why Grebeni was favourite for that race from the races he had been coming out of compared to what (stablemate) Williamsburg was coming out of,” Ryan said.
“Williamsburg got beat under three lengths in an Epsom and in a Golden Eagle with no luck in Melbourne and was 10-1 or 12-1 and Grebeni was favourite but I couldn’t work it out.
“Grebeni’s run was all right though and I think if you swapped the runs Williamsburg and he had because they both went back from wide barriers, from where Grebeni was, he’s run well.
“He probably just peaked on his run, a month between runs and paraded a bit fresh.”
Ryan listed the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) as an option for Grebeni but said he would play it by ear after Saturday’s run for the gelding.
Grebeni is also Magic Millions eligible.
Meanwhile, stablemate Union Army will make his return from a mandatory three-month ban due to a bleed in the TAB Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).
Union Army ($6.50) had built an decent record of two wins and two placings from eight starts before suffering the setback last preparation.
“He is a horse that has always shown good ability and was a bit stiff in a couple of races last preparation,” Ryan said.
“He had the full three months off after bleeding but he has come up well.
“He is a big strong horse and a couple of times when he has been unlucky he has drawn in close.
“I just don’t think barrier one is his ideal gate because he is a big striding horse and they will pack around him.”
Ryan confirmed Wyong Magic Millions 3YO & 4YO Stakes placegetter Silentsar had pulled up well from his placing at Wyong on Wednesday and will also be headed towards the Gold Coast in the New Year.
“His run was good and that was his race before he heads back up to the Magic Millions so he won’t run again until he heads up there,” he said.
“He was good and will improve off.”
Originally published as Exciting two-year-old Amazing Eagle set for debut after seven-length trial win
Pride Of Jenni crowned Australia’s top racehorse
After dazzling Australian racing with her bold frontrunning style, superstar mare Pride Of Jenni has been crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year in Adelaide on Tuesday night.
Ottobre gives Jenni’s Cox Plate lead-up wish
Ciaron Maher has plenty of options with star mare Pride Of Jenni but owner Tony Ottobre has given his preference for her last lead-up run before the Cox Plate.