Golden Eagle 2020: The Godolphin galloper Darren Beadman would ride in the Sydney classic
Godolphin employee Darren Beadman, one of Australia’s greatest ever jockeys, has declared which of the James Cummings-trained gallopers he would ride in the Golden Eagle.
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Racing superpower Godolphin will saddle up three runners in Saturday’s $7.5 million Iron Jack Golden Eagle and stable spokesman Darren Beadman has declared the horse he would choose to ride.
Beadman, a seven-time Sydney premiership winning rider, partnered 86 Group 1 winners during his illustrious career which also saw him inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2007.
The former champion jockey is now a part of the training team at Godolphin under head trainer James Cummings and he represented the stable at Tuesday’s barrier draw.
Beadman drew the starting positions for the three Cummings-trained runners.
Criaderas is the least experienced of the Godolphin runners having only faced the starter on six occasions — recording four wins and two placings, including last Saturday’s fast finishing second to Cuba in 1400m open handicap.
The Lonhro gelding will start from barrier 10.
“I think he’s a live chance,” Beadman told Sky Racing. “I think you are going to need a very fit horse on Saturday.
“He’s on the quick back-up after running unbelievable sectionals on a rain-affected track so we do know he handles rain-affected ground.
“I think he’s a bit of an up and coming star for us, a bit of a sleeper and he’s drawn probably an ideal gate for him — middle of the pack.”
Flit is one of four Group 1 winners in the race, along with her stablemate Colette, and she goes into Saturday having taken out the main lead-up race — the Silver Eagle three weeks ago.
Flit fared the worst of the Golden trio drawing barrier 17 but she will start from gate 14 if the four emergencies fail to secure a start.
“Her first run was an absolute bottler (in the Missile Stakes) but then she went off the boil a little bit,” Beadman said.
“That run may have just taken the edge off her but James freshened her up, gave her a trial in between and four weeks between runs.
“She came out and hit the line in fine fashion to win the Silver Eagle.”
Australian Oaks winner Colette rounds out the Godolphin assault and she will relish the likelihood of a rain-affected track on Saturday.
Rosehill was rated a heavy (9) on Tuesday with as much as 50mm of rain predicted to fall across the Sydney basin leading up to and on Saturday.
Colette drew barrier six for Saturday’s assignment.
“She’s a little superstar,” Beadman said. “She took it all before her in the autumn.
“She loves the soft ground, she relishes it.
“A very fit horse, very game, it wouldn’t surprise me to see her figuring in the finish.
So which one would Beadman ride if he was still plying his trade as a jockey?
“I’d ride Colette,” he said.
Godolphin are still to announce the horse and jockey partnerships for the Golden Eagle. The riders engaged are Rachel King, Keegan Latham and Koby Jennings.
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Originally published as Golden Eagle 2020: The Godolphin galloper Darren Beadman would ride in the Sydney classic