The Golden Eagle will headline a bumper ten race card at Royal Randwick this Saturday, with a field of seventeen set to contest the $10m feature.
Adding further excitement to the day is the Russell Balding Stakes, and with $3m on offer, the 1300m feature has attracted a star-studded line up.
The rail will be in the true position, and the track is currently rated a good 4.
I’ve delved deep into the form and have provided my thoughts and sections below in my Golden Eagle Day Preview.
ROTAGILLA didn’t have the best of luck when resuming over 1400m at Warwick Farm, but it was a very encouraging performance.
Settling at the tail, the son of All Too Hard found plenty of traffic in the straight but charged through late to finish less a length away in fourth.
An improving type, the four-year-old turned out some strong performances last campaign and I think he’ll continue to rise through the grades.
Tim Clark stays aboard for Chris Waller and the slight rise to 1500m here on the bigger track looks ideal.
FAN HARDER hasn’t been far away at his past two starts, both of which have been over the 1500m at Rosehill, and he looks nicely placed here with the slight drop back in trip.
The Rod Northam trained gelding has only had the four race starts and he kicked off his career in style with a determined victory over 1000m at Muswellbrook before a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
He returned in top order last month, proving too good over 1200m at Tamworth.
He’s just appeared to peak late in both Rosehill Highways so the drop back to 1400m looks ideal and he draws to receive an economical run under Reece Jones.
JELLICIOUS is airborne this preparation and she looks well placed to make it four straight wins.
Now under the care of Chris Waller, the Snitzel mare showed plenty of talent in her first preparation despite going winless.
She’d been the runner up at her first two before a luckless run in the Group 3 Reginald Allen and she was never in the hunt after covering plenty of ground in the Springtime Stakes.
She recorded a deserved maiden win at Hawkesbury last month before back-to-back victories at Warwick Farm.
Hard fit, the rise to 1300m will suit and she gets the services of James McDonald.
MERIDIANA comes off a strong first up win over 1300m at Rosehill, and she looks well placed to make it back-to-back victories in the 2025 Four Pillars.
Taken back to last in the eight-horse field, she travelled well and extended strongly in the straight to sweep past them and score by half a length.
With the five race starts, the mare has now recorded two wins and a stakes placing, having finished third in the Listed Princess Stakes, and I think she’ll continue to progress through the grades.
With that first up run under her belt, the rise to 1500m will suit and she gets in nicely here with William Stanley’s 3kg claim.
BLACK RUN kicked off his campaign with a very encouraging effort over 1890m at Newcastle and he will have taken plenty of benefit from the outing.
Jumping away off the inside draw, he took up the running and despite looking like he was done 100m out, he fought back to claim second.
The former UK galloper has just had the one prior preparation on Australian soil and whilst he didn’t find the winner’s stall, he was placed in two of his four runs.
Given time to adapt, he appears to have returned in top order, and he has saluted at two of his three second up appearances.
He does rise in grade but drops 4kgs on that first up run and Tom Marquand, who has partnered the gelding to both of his victories, reunites with him.
MEMORIA will kick off her campaign and it’s hard to overlook her fresh record.
The Kris Lees trained mare has recorded four wins and a third placing from her five first up appearances and she looks well placed to add to that tally.
She’s yet to miss a top three spot here at Randwick and the 1100m first up looks ideal.
Given two trials in preparation for her return, she’s been strong through the line on each occasion and looks ready to go.
Benjamin Osmond will take 2kgs off and with the advantage of the inside draw, she’ll roll forward and be hard to catch.
JIMMYSSTAR comes off a terrific run in The Everest and he’s sure to relish the extra 100m here.
Pressed forward from the wide gate, the son of Per Incanto settled in the ‘one-one’ and fought gamely to claim third, beaten only 1.4 lengths.
All three of his runs this campaign have been full or merit and he looks ready to win.
He found the 1000m too short when making his return in the Concorde Stakes and second up in the Premiere, I thought he may have settled that but closer but again, he was allowed to find his feet at the and scorched home late to get within half a length.
With the capacity field, it’s sure to be a genuine tempo and the low draw can see him settle comfortably within striking distance.
He’ll need room late but if the gaps appear, I think he’ll be too strong for them.
Seventeen runners will step out in the $10m Golden Eagle and I’m sticking with the unbeaten mare, AUTUMN GLOW.
Fresh off her first Group 1 victory, the daughter of The Autumn Sun has done everything right and it’s hard to go against her.
She was dominant winning the Theo Marks two runs back and last start in the Epsom, she stalked the leader and was just too good over the final part.
With four weeks since that run, she’s been given a tick over trial and James McDonald has elected by bypass Derby Day at Flemington in favour of partnering her here.
WOOTTON VERNI will look to make it back-to-back wins after taking out the Group 3 Coongy Cup at Caulfield.
Settling in the box seat, he got the gap at the top of the straight and shot away to score by half a length with a further 2.8 length margin back to third.
It was a deserved win for the former French galloper who had closed off strongly in his two previous runs.
He relished to rise to 2000m last time and I think he’ll continue to progress.
At peak fitness, he gets in nicely here with the low weight and with James McDonald to steer from barrier four, there’s a lot to like about him in the 2025 Rosehill Gold Cup.
POLYGLOT has been placed in all four starts this campaign, all of which have been over the 1100m here, and I think he’ll relish the rise to 1300m.
A son of Lonhro, the Godolphin galloper didn’t have the best of luck in his first two runs back, held up at vital stages, he hit the line strongly on both occasions.
He then settled at the tail and charged home into third before his latest run, where he was always wide and exposed and stuck on gamely to hold third.
The way he’s been finding the line suggest the rise in trip will suit and he finally lands a soft draw in the last on Golden Eagle Day.