This week’s announcement of increased prizemoney for the ATC Golden Eagle (1500m) for four year-olds at Rosehill in October has got us thinking about what horses may be in the running for a race that will change the thinking and programming for a lot of horses this spring.
Past winners are:
2019 Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park)
2020 Colette (Hallowed Crown)
2021 I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking)
All three are Group I winners outside of their Golden Eagle success and have proven to be elite horses vindicating the massive prize money put on the race in a bit to attract the up and comers.
Kolding won the Group II BRC Queensland Guineas as his first stakes win and then took the Group I ATC Epsom Handicap at his previous start to the Golden Eagle.
Colette won the Group III ATC Adrian Knox Stakes as her first stakes win then the Group I ATC Australian Oaks and came to her Golden Eagle off a sixth in the Group I ATC Epsom Handicap.
I’m Thunderstruck did not figure in Black Type races at three, but showed his hand in the depths of winter winning races impressively at Moonee Valley and Flemington in July before stepping out in the spring to place in the Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes before winning the Group I MRC Toorak Handicap prior to his Golden Eagle win.
All three horses fit a profile of having success at 1600m or further and having not yet hit their peak at two and three.
TAB have released a market for the 2022 $10million Golden Eagle with Mazu as an early favourite.
TAB Market Top 10
|
Horse |
Sire |
Price |
|
Mazu |
Maurice (Jpn) |
$6 |
|
Anamoe |
Street Boss (USA) |
$8 |
|
Illation |
So You Think |
$8 |
|
Espiona |
Extreme Choice |
$11 |
|
Artorius |
Flying Artie |
$15 |
|
Converge |
Frankel |
$15 |
|
Fangirl |
Sebring |
$15 |
|
Gypsy Goddess (NZ) |
Tarzino |
$15 |
|
In The Congo |
Snitzel |
$15 |
|
Paulele |
Dawn Approach (IRE) |
$15 |
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained gelding Mazu is already in the Everest, so this Triple Crown Syndications owned gelding could be in for a huge pay day if he could do the double.
Champion filly Sunlight attempted the feat in 2019 finishing unplaced in the Everest before bouncing back to finish a brave second to Kolding, so it’s not a big leap to see Mazu running boldly in both.
Unbeaten So You Think colt Illation has a bit of the x-factor and is trained by Mick Price and Mick Kent Jr, who won the Golden Eagle with I’m Thunderstruck so they know exactly how to get there on the day.
He’s already a stakes-winner at 1600m so fits the profile of past winners.
Touted as the new Winx at the start of her autumn campaign, the Chris Waller trained Espiona failed to deliver on the relentless heavy tracks, but ended her season on a high with a brilliant in the Group III ATC James Carr Stakes.
Espiona has a lot more to offer and has her whole life to win Group I races so it’s not hard to think her Star Thoroughbreds owners might dearly love to get a $10million Golden Eagle on the mantlepiece first, although maybe an Epsom win might precede it!
The Waller stable also has their Group I winning fillies Fangirl and Hinged in contention and both bear comparison to 2020 winner Colette.
These are just a small selection of the rising 4YO’s out there that no doubt have owners dreaming big with horses like Overpass and Mr Mozart already Group winners with the promise of better things to come!
