Japanese trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa confident Ascoli Piceno is the best horse in Golden Eagle
A wide draw has seen the talented Japanese filly drift out of favouritism but trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa is confident Ascoli Piceno is still the one to beat.
Trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa is adamant Ascoli Piceno is the best horse in the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) and sees the positives in a shocking wide draw for his Japanese raider at Rosehill Gardens.
Ascoli Piceno has been usurped as favourite for the Golden Eagle after being set a task in the four-year-old feature from barrier 17.
Only I Wish I Win has won the Golden Eagle from a double digit barrier when the Group 1 weapon saluted from gate 10 in 2022.
Ascoli Piceno faces a far more difficult assignment with just a handful of runners outside her from the tricky 1500m start.
The draw has seen her drift significantly from $4.50 out to $6 for the Golden Eagle with the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar supported into a $5 outright favourite at lunch time on Wednesday.
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Kuroiwa is keeping the faith in Ascoli Piceno to overcome the challenge.
“I believe she is the best horse in the field,” he said via a translator.
“So I didn’t really want to have an inside draw otherwise she could be stuck behind horses so 17 is definitely wide but I am happy with that rather than drawing inside.
“She has tactical speed and breaks well always so she can probably put herself in a midfield position or the first half of the field, that’s what I am hoping.”
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Japan is aiming to win back-to-back Golden Eagle following the success of Obamburumai last year.
Ascoli Piceno arrived in Australia several weeks ago with a stronger resume than the 2023 winner, having tasted Group 1 glory last year.
She was also a dominant last-start victor in the Group 3 Keisei Hai Autumn (1600m) in September before being prepared to come to Australia.
The daughter of Daiwa Major has been tuning up for the Golden Eagle at Canterbury Park for several weeks with jockey Joao Moreira coming out to pilot the filly in work several times.
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Ascoli Piceno galloped with jockey Jo Moreira. pic.twitter.com/4ujp3b87Cf
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Kuriowa has been monitoring Ascoli Piceno closely in recent days after arriving in the country.
“She looks healthy and is in great order so I am really happy with her,” he said.
“Joao rode her last week and galloped her as well and told me she was much better than last week (on Wednesday).
“Joao is one of the best jockeys in the world so we are happy to have him on board.”
Ascoli Piceno is one of two Japanese contenders in the Golden Eagle alongside Corazon Beat.
Trainer Shizuya Kato admits his filly will be at Corazon Beat will be at a “disadvantage” after she drew one from the outside in barrier 19.
Kato is no stranger to Australia after travelling Down Under with his father, Kazuhiro, with success 10 years ago when Hana’s Goal won the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick in 2014.
“I am delighted to be back here, it’s been 10 years but Sydney is a great place to come back to,” Kato said.
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“I definitely have special memories with Hana’s Goal so it made it easy for me to make the decision to come down.
“From last week, Corazon Beat has been ready and her condition has gone really well.
“At this stage we are monitoring her physical condition as well as her mental (condition) and at this stage she’s gone really well.”
Corazon Beat is a Group 2 winner in Japan having saluted in the Keio Hai Nisai (1400m) last year and has already faced Ascoli Piceno three times but has never beaten her compatriot.
Her best result against Ascoli Piceno was a third behind Kuroiwa’s filly in the Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (1600m) at Hanshin last December.
“She (Ascoli Piceno) is a great horse so we’ve been always having a difficult time against her but hoping she will give us a bit of luck this time,” Kato said.
Tommy Berry will ride Corazon Beat in the Golden Eagle where she is a $51 chance.
The two Japanese contenders make up a four-strong international contingent in the Golden Eagle with French raider Lazzat and English talent Lake Forest also set to take on Australia’s best four-year-olds.
Originally published as Japanese trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa confident Ascoli Piceno is the best horse in Golden Eagle
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