Ray Thomas’ tips, inside mail for 2024 Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill Gardens

Trainer Tony McEvoy can understand why Veight is the forgotten runner but still made a compelling case for the talented four-year-old going into the $10 million James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Trainer Tony McEvoy can understand why Veight is the forgotten runner but still made a compelling case for the talented four-year-old going into the $10 million James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Veight is among eight individual Group 1 winners in the star-studded field with his success in the George Ryder Stakes over the Rosehill 1500m course earlier this year but two unplaced runs this spring and a horror barrier (18) has him rated only a $71 chance.

When asked if Veight was close to the form he was in when he won the Ryder, McEvoy said: “If you look at his race day form, you would say no. But at home, all the signs are great, he’s acting right, and leading into the Manikato Stakes we were really positive about the horse and we were left quite flat after the race.

“We were left feeling flat again after the Silver Eagle last start.’’

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Champion jockey James McDonald rode Veight when ninth to Ostraka in the Silver Eagle and he gave McEvoy reason for hope after the race.

“James came in and said, ‘listen the horse went well’,’’ McEvoy said.

“He told us the horse got squeezed out at the start, it was a leader-dominated race, they went too slow early, he felt great and had a strong gallop to the line.’’

Veight was badly interfered with at the start of the Silver Eagle and ended up two lengths behind the second last horse on settling down. He eventually worked home to finish ninth.

Ostraka takes control of the G3 Silver Eagle and wins!@blake_shinn | @ANeashamRacing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/6o0YegHQ1w

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 19, 2024

• EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony’s tips, race-by-race analysis for 2024 Golden Eagle day at Rosehill Gardens

McEvoy said Veight continued to do everything right on the training track and he would instruct jockey Harry Coffey to ride the horse with intent out of the barriers.

“We will have to go forward from out there,’’ McEvoy said.

“He drew 14 last start in the Silver Eagle and the plan was to go forward early but got squeezed out at the start and ended up last.

“The horse as we know him is normal, he’s going well, he’s a very good horse and hopefully he gets a bit of clean air. We just need a bit of luck.’’

• Clinton Payne’s Golden Eagle tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

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ROSEHILL BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Lambay $8-$5.50 with a bet of $2200 at $6
Race 2: Asgarda $6-$3.40, Pippie Beach $4.60-$3.60
Race 3: United Kingdom $6-$5.50, State Of America $8-$6
Race 4: Fire Star $4.60-$3.40, Iron Man $6-$4.40
Race 5: Alabama State $8-$6.50
Race 6: Left Field $11-$5.50
Race 7: Bella Nipotina $2.80-$2.40 with a bet of $2895 at $2.60
Race 8: Ascoli Piceno $5-$3.70 with a bet of $2000 at $4, Lazzat $6.50-$6
Race 9: Relentless Voyager $8-$6, Saganti $8-$7
Race 10: Bullets High $8-$4.60 after a bet of $2290 at $5.50, Battleton $15-$5 with a bet of $2290 at $6

• Ray Thomas and Ron Dufficy’s race-by-race tips and analysis for 2024 Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill

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EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 2,5,9,11
Race 4: 2,4,5,7
Race 5: 4,9,12,16
Race 6: 2,4,5

QUADDIE
Race 7: 1,3,4,12
Race 8: 3,6,15,16
Race 9: 1,2,8,14
Race 10: 7,9,10,11

• Maiden to Golden Eagle in five months? Craig’s amazing rise

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PRICE CHECK
The Rosehill closer (race 10) is a good betting race with plenty of support for BULLETS HIGH and BATTLETON. Bullets High has firmed from $8 to $4.60 after a bet of $2290 at $5.50 and Battleton is $15 into $5 including a bet of $2290 at $6. BELLA NIPOTINA (race 7) has been confidently backed to win the Russell Balding Stakes and has firmed from $2.80 to $2.40 including a bet of $2895 at $2.60.

Winx, Nature Strip … now Bella: $20m club in mighty mare's sights

The Everest winner Bella Nipotina can smash through the $20m prizemoney barrier if she completes a unique sprint double at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. 👇https://t.co/JdMLJGqR0n

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) October 31, 2024

• King Of Sparta to prove worth against Bella Nipotina in Russell Balding

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TRIAL POINTERS
ALLAPERCANTO (race 2) returns to racing after an impressive autumn-winter campaign that yielded wins at Hawkesbury and Canterbury. The Team Hawkes-trained mare moved well in a recent barrier trial when third to the very talented Schwarz at Rosehill two weeks ago. She is set to improve on her good first-up record.

Schwarz (4h Zoustar x Summer Sham) back looking sensational at the trials after a bit of TLC.

Winner of the G2 Missile first-up but in the words of @JohnOSheaRacing "That first-up run just gutted him"
Looks like the refresh worked fine!

8 starts, 4 wins and Gr1 aspirations.… pic.twitter.com/wGdyHHctUA

— Breednet (@BreednetNews) October 18, 2024

INFATUATION (race 6) has produced two very good trials in preparation for her return to racing. She chased home the very speedy Way To The Stars in a 740m Randwick heat then was narrowly beaten by Facile over 900m at Rosehill. The Bjorn Baker-trained mare looks primed to sprint well fresh.

• Joliestar needs her A-game to win Golden Eagle: Waller, McEvoy

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SECTIONAL STARS
SUNSHINE IN PARIS (race 7) settled near the rear of the field in The Everest and went wide on the turn before running on well to finish fifth behind Bella Nipotina. Sunshine In Paris ran her final 600m in 33.54s including a 200m split between the 400m and 200m of 10.82s which was the best sectional of any Everest runner in the second half of the race.

ENCAP (race 8) didn’t have the best of luck in the Alan Brown Stakes, settling in the second half of the field on the inside without a lot of galloping room before he ran on strongly for fourth behind Here To Shock. Encap’s run was full of merit as he sprinted his final 600m in 33.44s and a closing 200m sectional of 11.23s.

Here To Shock is here to win! The @lindsayparkrace trained galloper takes the Alan Brown Stakes and it's a double to @nashhot!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/NEYJEVUYBr

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 12, 2024

• ‘We don’t know his limits’: Trainer bullish on Lazzat in Golden Eagle

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BEST BET
STATE OF AMERICA (race 3) has struck form with a vengeance, scoring dominant wins at Randwick and Warwick Farm by widening margins. He has unleashed an impressive burst of acceleration to take complete control of those two races. State Of America is a confident horse in great touch and he can bring up his hat-trick here.

Say, can you see? Another win to State Of America! 🇺🇸 👏@DPayneRacing | @ZacLloydx | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/meC7XRao45

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 23, 2024

• Impressive import’s Rosehill Gold Cup tilt ushers in new Sydney era for Price-Kent Jr stable

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VALUE
ENCAP (race 8) is an underrated but very genuine racehorse. He was Group 1-placed in the Golden Rose last season and has returned in top form this spring, winning the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes despite enduring a wide run. He then ran a blinder in the Alan Brown Stakes, finishing fast along the inside for fourth. He has the rails barrier and will need luck in a star-studded Golden Eagle but at $23 he is very good each-way value.

Encap wins the G2 Theo Marks Stakes second up for @GaryPortelli and Jason Collett! pic.twitter.com/3UsmFzLWEX

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 14, 2024