The staggering $10 million purse attached to the Golden Eagle (1500m) has convinced trainer Dominic Sutton to aim high with stable star Feroce this Saturday at Randwick.
Sutton is still in the early stages of his training career, but he already has a Group 1 trophy thanks to Feroce’s outstanding victory in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
And now the gelding gets the chance to deliver Sutton his most lucrative payday yet.
The Golden Eagle has been the long-term target ever since Feroce rounded out his three-year-old campaign with a sixth-place finish in the Australian Cup (2000m) in March.
Two solid Sydney-way preparation runs at Caulfield set him up well ahead of the Toorak Handicap (1600m), but the stable left that race disappointed.
“It was obviously disappointing as we thought he could go there and win the Toorak, but we got the tactics wrong on the day,” Sutton said.
“We had to make a decision from barrier eight and the way the speed map was we either had to go back to last or try and put him into the race.
“We tried to put him into the race, but he did a lot of work early.
“He ran the quickest sectionals from the gates, but we probably learned a bit about him in that he needs a bit of cover in these high-pressure Group 1 races.”
Feroce has since shown he has taken no harm, posting a sharp jump-out win at Flemington on October 24 and working comfortably right-handed to ready himself for Randwick.
Sutton believes the gelding is being underestimated at $61.
“He’s going to be the forgotten horse going up there against the big names like Autumn Glow, Linebacker, Evaporate, all coming off very good runs,” Sutton said.
“What we’ve seen at home is that he has really bounced out of that Toorak run and we’ve worked him the Sydney way a few times and his rider reports he goes better that way.
“He’s going up there rock hard fit and we know he’s a good horse on his day.”
With Billy Egan suspended, Josh Parr picks up the ride.
“Billy got a big slap on the wrist out of the Toorak, and it finishes after Derby Day,” Sutton said.
“So, Josh Parr rides. He’s a very good jockey and gets rides in all the big races up there.
“He understands the tactics of the other jockeys, and he knows the Sydney horses, the ones to follow and which ones not to.
“He’s a nice patient rider and he should be the right fit.”
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