GOLDEN EAGLE 2020 PREVIEW
4YO OPEN
1500m
$7,500,000
HEAVY 8
Rail TRUE entire
| # | Form | Horse | Trainer | Jockey (barrier) | Weight (kg) | Current Price |
| 1 | 10x32 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | DAVID VANDYKE | R MALONEY (15) | 57.5 | $7 |
| 2 | 7x038 | BRANDENBURG | J SARGENT | REGAN BAYLISS (14) | 57.5 | $34 |
| 3 | x9073 | SUPERSTORM | G & A WILLIAMS | J PARR (19) | 57.5 | $17 |
| 4 | 117x3 | DAWN PASSAGE | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | TIM CLARK (16) | 57.5 | $26 |
| 5 | 3x923 | RIODINI | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | B AVDULLA (7) | 57.5 | $19 |
| 6 | 42115 | WINDSTORM | G & A WILLIAMS | G SCHOFIELD (8) | 57.5 | $26 |
| 7 | 35x35 | RELOADED | C WALLER | R DOLAN (11) | 57.5 | $67 |
| 8 | 61273 | JUST THINKIN' | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | MS K O'HARA (21) | 57.5 | $101 |
| 9 | 18x33 | BOTTEGA | G RYAN & S ALEXIOU | J INNES JNR (4) | 57.5 | $26 |
| 10 | x1312 | CRIADERAS | JAMES CUMMINGS | KEAGAN LATHAM (10) | 57.5 | $20 |
| 11 | x2901 | FLIT | JAMES CUMMINGS | MS R KING (17) | 55.5 | $15 |
| 12 | 2x622 | FUNSTAR | C WALLER | TOMMY BERRY (22) | 55.5 | $5 |
| 13 | 1x056 | COLETTE | JAMES CUMMINGS | K JENNINGS (6) | 55.5 | $6 |
| 14 | x4616 | SUBPOENAED | C WALLER | J FORD (2) | 55.5 | $29 |
| 15 | 41521 | EMERALDS | J SARGENT | J R COLLETT (18) | 55.5 | $29 |
| 16 | 10x11 | SIERRA SUE | T B & N YOUNG | N RAWILLER (1) | 55.5 | $10 |
| 17 | 3x117 | ALL SAINTS' EVE | J O'SHEA | S CLIPERTON (3) | 55.5 | $41 |
| 18 | 24251 | ICEBATH | BRAD WIDDUP | TOM SHERRY (5) | 55.5 | $12 |
| 19 | 111x0 | STOCKMAN | J PRIDE | 57.5 | $126 | |
| 20 | 0x491 | ENCHANTED HEART | K LEES | 55.5 | $126 | |
| 21 | 1x177 | FENDER | B CAVANOUGH | 57.5 | $126 | |
| 22 | x2800 | AIR TO AIR | J COYLE | 55.5 | $126 |
OVERVIEW
Derby Day no doubt gets top billing this weekend at the Flemington Carnival, but the Golden Eagle certainly isn’t far behind. With an enormous prize purse of $7.5 million, the race draws a capacity field and will be hotly contested. The field is wide open this year, with Funstar lining up as a $5 favourite in early markets. There are a number of quality horses engaged, so punters can expect a tight finish.
SPEED MAP
With such a large field engaged, a lot of the positions will come down to luck in the run. Just Thinkin’ should be the first away though, but will have to cross all the way across from barrier 21. Sierra Sue has the complete opposite draw in barrier 1 and might use that to her advantage to be prominent. Alligator Blood and Funstar shouldn’t be far away either but the latter may have to work hard from the widest barrier. Talented runners Windstorm and Criaderas will have their work cut out for them, as they’ll be near the rear of this huge field.
KEY RUNNERS
- ALLIGATOR BLOOD ($7)
Was the form horse in his past two preps, which included five wins from six runs (one win was disqualified) and that certainly brought a weight of expectation for this prep. He has been rolled as favourite in both runs this prep, but at the same time put in top runs in both starts. I suggest he’ll be peaking for this third up and with a Group 1 win on his resume already, he’s certainly up to this.
- FUNSTAR ($5)
Supremely talented mare, who has been racing against the best for most of her career. She has a past Group 1 victory under her belt, and has been agonisingly close to victory in her past two starts. Last start, she loomed ominously against a top field in the Group 1 Epsom, but just found one better. Looks ready to win now, but drawing the widest gate certainly makes that much harder.
- SIERRA SUE ($10)
Looks an interesting runner here for mine. Has only had seven starts, yet has already recorded five victories. She jumped up in class last start from BM70 to Group 2 and handled it superbly, sprinting nicely to score a good win. This is another step up and she’ll need to go to a new level, but she draws barrier 1 here and can use that to her advantage.
BLUEY’S PICK
- ALLIGATOR BLOOD ($7)
I think Alligator Blood can get back to his best here after two promising runs to begin the prep. He has been a touch slow to begin in both starts, but has hit the line strongly both times for narrow defeats. If he can begin better today and push forward, he should be right there. With Funstar drawing the carpark, he looks the one to beat for mine.
