30/10/21 Rosehill Tips for The Golden Eagle & Rosehill Gold Cup
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- Author: Joshua ReedOct 27, 2021 10:22 AM
- Photo: Getty
Ells Eagle
Rosehill has the honour of hosting Saturday racing in Sydney this weekend, with the ten race card highlighted by the $7.5 million Golden Eagle for the four-year-olds.
The three races prior are quality lead-up events, with the inaugural running of the Four Pillars, the Gold Cup and of course the Classique Legend Stakes.
Track Conditions
The track is currently rated a Good 4 and there is minimal rain forecast in the lead-up, which will ensure not only a good surface on Saturday but it could be rock hard.
The Rosehill rail will be situated in the True position which is the same position as last month's Golden Rose Stakes meeting, which showed it was hard to make significant ground.
Rosehill Race 5 - Rosehill Gold Cup 2000m
The Map 
There looks to be slow-average speed engaged in the Gold Cup, which could bring a couple of tactics changes come race day.
Kiss The Bride (12) will streak across from the outside gate, whilst I expect Shared Ambition (5) and Soldier of Love (2) to kick up from the favourable barriers.
Lion's Roar (7) will be hunting for a prominent spot also, with Think It Over (3) also looking for that dream spot. I expect Sky Lab (4) to kick up and hold a midfield or better position to give himself every chance.
Kukueracha (10) and Gold Trip (9) will slot in midfield or worse with Yonkers (6) to their inside.
Rock (1) has drawn poorly for his racing style and looks to be pinned on the rail towards the rear with Young Rascal (11) and Mirann (8) shading it.
The Favourite 
Think It Over ($2.80) will be looking for three victories in a row and win number four this preparation after his win in the Craven Plate.
In both his previous starts, Nash Rawiller has been able to stalk a very slow speed before getting the better of the opposition late in the piece. But you can only perform to what is in front of you and on both previous occasions, the situation has been summed up perfectly.
He won't get a similar luxury here and I believe he will need to produce a peak performance to win this one, especially going up 2kg from his last start. Meanwhile his main rivals from that last start are dropping in weight, which means there is a 4 - 5kg weight swing against him.
If he wins Saturday, he will be something else!
Analysis and Tips 
I am with one of Think It Over's rivals from last start in Sky Lab ($8.00).
I backed the son of Real Impact last start, with the expectation of rain that never came and a track that improved out of site.
Take those conditions and make the field smaller and it really diminished his chances to winning the race. That being said, he still ran the quickest last 800m and 600m of the race whilst sitting off the speed which was 19 lengths below the average speed, that is a massive effort!
He gets a bit more speed here, he has drawn ideally, he has won over this track and distance and he gets a 4kg weight swing on Think it Over. He is nice each-way odds.
Rosehill Race 7 - The Golden Eagle 1500m
The Map
This race has plenty of runners but it is a very long tail, so this map will talk about the main chances in the race.
Ellsberg (1) has drawn ideally to sit on the pace, which will no doubt force Vangelic (5) and Apache Chase (6) to stroll past him and take up the 1-2.
Most of the speed is drawn to the inside with Love Tap (3) also kicking up and Count De Rupee (4) looking to camp off the leading group.
I'm Thunderstruck (10) is drawn a touch awkward and Bowman will have a decision to make as to where the horse goes from that draw to give himself the best opportunity.
Forbidden Love (16) will likely try and slot in from the wide gate whilst foreigners Law of Indices (19), Maximal (22) and Reve De Vol (7) will have their work cut out for them.
Private Eye (17) will also have a mountain of work to do as he looks to continue on from his Epsom win.
The Favourite
I'm Thunderstruck ($4.00) has come up favourite despite the tricky draw.
His win in the Toorak Handicap was very good and a peak performance by the Shocking gelding. He brought in good form with his massive run in the Sir Rupert Clarke the start before, where he flew home to narrowly miss out on winning.
He is going to have to replicate his last start heroics, but should get a nice pace to sit off should they get into a nice position in the run.
Bowman will know that he will have to be close on the bend to give his mount a chance and if he can get the breaks, he could just be hard to stop.
Analysis and Tips
There is two horses I really like here and both will give themselves every chance in the leading group.
Apache Chase ($6.00) is bringing a different form-line into this race, with two nice wins at Toowoomba and Eagle Farm.
At his latest at Eagle Farm, he was too good for his opposition. The runner-up in that race, Emerald Kingdom, was well fancied here in Sydney last week but performed poorly with poor post-race recovery.
Both Apache Chase's previous ratings are good enough to win this and he is going to love the rock hard surface on Saturday.
Ellsberg ($10.00) is the other I don't mind at double figure odds and he will get a suck run in behind Vangelic and Apache Chase.
He ran a tremendous race despite being hampered at the top of the straight after the incident with Triple Ace, and he managed to keep fighting in decent time to finish 0.12 lengths in second.
He loves Rosehill and relishes this distance so he will be fighting right to the finish, plus he will love the rock hard track. He is definitely a big chance.
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