International horses ready to stamp their mark on Golden Eagle
International horses have already cleaned up the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. Are they about to continue their momentum by taking out Sydney’s new showpiece event the Golden Eagle?
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Overseas raiders have dominated the big spring races in Melbourne and now they are threatening to steal the show in Sydney.
Even though two of the three international runners competing in Saturday’s $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill received the visitor’s draw for the inaugural running of the race, but their stables aen’t worried about it.
English horse Beat Le Bon drew gate 15 for trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Pat Dobbs while Irish galloper I Am Superman was left stuck out in barrier 14 for Michael O’Callaghan and his rider Leigh Roche.
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Aidan O’Brien’s Never No More fared the best of the internationals with barrier seven and the Irish hope is a $26 chance.
Beat Le Bon is a $71 outsider with the TAB while I Am Superman is at longer odds at $81.
But Beat Le Bon’s stable representative Wayne Kavanagh said all his horse needed to swoop to victory late was a strong pace up front, something he’s likely to get.
“He’s a horse that can be a bit keen and his best runs this year are when he’s come from behind. I know on a track like this you don’t want to be too far back,” Kavanagh said.
“Having the second favourite (Brutal) and a bit of pace on our outside might play into our favour.
“Things are going better than planned. We were worried he’d get a bit fresh and a bit buzzy but he’s gone the other way.”
I Am Superman hasn’t raced since a third placing over 1609m in the Desmond Stakes in Ireland in August but he’s got a great fresh record and stable representative John Bailey was happy to be out wide.
“The draw is perfect for him,” Bailey said.
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“He can sit in on the pace. He’s probably got too much early speed so he needs to get cover. He’s settled in really well.”
It’s been a spring of riches so far for the internationals, in Melbourne at least, with Mer De Glace winning the Caulfield Cup, before his fellow Japanese runner Lys Gracieux romped home to an easy Cox Plate win, ensuring Japan and Europe remained strong factors heading towards the race’s centenary next year.
There are 11 confirmed internationals for next Tuesday’s $8 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, including $7 favourite Constantinople.
But that dominance hasn’t translated to Sydney, with Australian horses still superior over the shorter distances.
Meanwhile, Glen Boss hasn’t given up hope of riding Constantinople in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup after he was suspended at Randwick’s meeting last Saturday.
Boss will have his appeal heard on Monday but even if he fails to reduce his six-meeting ban the appeals panel can decide to delay the start of the suspension by two days according to the rules.