The $10million ATC Golden Eagle (1500m) is a race that has gone from strength to strength since being first run in 2019, so we’ve taken a look at what’s happened so far in our quest to narrow the 20 strong field in search of this year’s winner.
With eight G1 winners engaged, two from the Northern Hemisphere, it’s fair to say this year’s race is the strongest on paper that has ever been assembled and after the barrier draw on Tuesday the stage is set for an epic race on a track rated good.
Below are the Top 5 finishers from past Golden Eagle runnings and they highlight two key factors when you are assessing form.
All of the winners drew no wider than gate 10 and all of them including Japanese raider Obamburumai (Jpn) came through a Group I mile race with flying colours at their previous start.
Kolding won the G1 Epsom, while Colette was sixth and I’m Thunderstruck won the G1 Toorak Handicap with I Wish I Win finishing fifth in that race.
For the record, Obamburumai also had his last run before travelling to Australia in the Group I Tokyo NHK Mile finishing third of 17 and interestingly this year’s favourite Ascoli Piceno also ran in that race finishing an unlucky second and has since won again at 1600m before heading to Australia.
Past Golden Eagle Top 5 Finishers
Year Horse Barrier
2023 1 – Obamburumai (Jpn) (2). Previous start: 3rd NHK Mile Cup (1600) 1.2 len
2 - Pericles (1). Previous start: 3rd Silver Eagle (1300) 1.1 len
3 - Golden Mile (16). Previous start: 9th King Charles III Stakes (1600) 6.0 len
4 - Strait Acer (6). Previous start: 2nd Silver Eagle (1300) 0.9 len
5 - Hawaii Five Oh (3). Previous start: 6th The TAB Everest (1200) 2.3 len
G1 winners in the field going in: Golden Mile, Ruthless Dame, Communist, Legarto, Amelia’s Jewel, Kovalica.
2022 1 - I Wish I Win (NZ) (10). Previous start: 5th Hyland Race Colours Toorak Hcp (1600) 1.3 len
2 - Fangirl (17). Previous start: 6th Tab Epsom (1600) 7.2 len
3 - Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (5). Previous start: 1st Channel 7 Queensland Oaks (2200) 1.0 len
4 - Hope In Your Heart (8). Previous start: 1st Furphy Angst Stakes (1600) 0.2 len
5 - Hinged (16). Previous start: 3rd Tab Epsom (1600) 0.3 len
G1 winners in the field going in: Fangirl, Gypsy Goddess, Hinged, In The Congo, Converge – G1 winners subsequently I Wish I Win, Overpass, Chain of Lightning, Pinstriped.
2021 1 - I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) (8). Previous start: 1st Toorak Hcp (1600) 0.8 len
2 - Count De Rupee (3). Previous start: 3rd Silver Eagle (1300) 0.5 len
3 - Vangelic (4). Previous start: 5th The Invitation (1400) 1.9 len
4 - Apache Chase (5). Previous start: 1st Nudgee College Old Boy's Cup (1400) 1.5 len
5 – Laws Of Indices (IRE) (16). Previous start: 8th Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300) 6 len
G1 winners in the field going in: I’m Thunderstruck, Laws of Indices, Private Eye, Aegon, Forbidden Love – G1 winners subsequently Apache Chase, Atishu.
2020 1 - Colette (6). Previous start: 6th Epsom Hcp (1600) 2.0 len
2 - Icebath (NZ)(5). Previous start: 1st Sharp Eit (Bm78) (1600) 4.0 len
3 - Dawn Passage (13). Previous start: 3rd Silver Eagle (1300) 1.7 len
4 - All Saints' Eve (NZ) (3). Previous start: 7th Angst Stakes (1600) 3.7 len
5 - Bottega (4). Previous start: 3rd Drinkwise (Bm88) (1400) 0.8 len
G1 winners in the field going in: Colette, Flit, Alligator Blood, Funstar- G1 winners subsequently Icebath, Sierra Sue, Superstorm.
2019 1 - Kolding (NZ) (4). Previous start: 1st Tab Epsom (1600) 0.1 len
2 - Sunlight (15). Previous start: 10th The Tab Everest (1200) 4.4 len
3 - Mizzy (6). Previous start: 3rd Silver Eagle (1300) 2.0 len
4 - Behemoth (8). Previous start: 8th Silver Eagle (1300) 4.2 len
5 - Arcadia Queen (5). Previous start: 11th The Tab Everest (1200) 4.6 len
G1 winners in the field going in: Kolding, Sunlight, Arcadia Queen, Brutal - G1 winners subsequently Mizzy, Behemoth, Jonker
Based on what we’ve seen in five previous runnings of this race we know that the winner needs to have elite form at 1600m and ideally needs to be drawn no wider than gate 10, although a couple of outstanding mares in Fangirl and Sunlight went close to winning despite their outside gates.
Our top selections are as follows:
1/Tom Kitten
2/ Ascoli Piceno (Jpn)
3/ Craig (GB)
