Golden Eagle top pick fares well at draw

SYDNEY – Any hope of seeing ‘black odds’ for superstar mare Sheza Alibi in the A$10 million (S$9 million) Group 1 Golden Eagle (1,500m) on Oct 31 may have been quashed after she drew barrier six in the world’s joint second-richest turf race with the Melbourne Cup, after the A$20 million Group 1 The Everest (1,200m).

In its second year at Royal Randwick (it was held at Rosehill in its first six years), 18 horses can run in the four-year-old restricted race and bookmakers re-opened betting with Sheza Alibi at 9-10 with Beiwacht and Autumn Boy sharing the second line of betting at 7-1.

Beiwacht, one of five Group 1 winners in the field, drew barrier 10 while Autumn Boy drew next to his rival Sheza Alibi in barrier five.

Sheza Alibi and Autumn Boy have met on four separate occasions and run the quinella each time, with Autumn Boy beating Sheza Alibi at Eagle Farm as two-year-olds before she won the Randwick Guineas, Doncaster Mile and Makybe Diva Stakes, all Group 1 mile events.

Owner Fred Noffke only had two possible barriers left when Sheza Alibi was drawn, saying jokingly he had done his job and it was now up to trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman and jockey Luke Nolen.

“I was very happy,” said Noffke, a Central Queensland grazier.

“I asked Peter (Moody) what he wanted and Peter didn’t mind so long as I was drawn out a bit, and I said ‘can we take six to twelve?’ and he said, ‘yep, that’ll be fine.”

Noffke said Sheza Alibi had freshened up beautifully for Saturday’s Golden Eagle after dropping back from a shock defeat in the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes (2,000m) at Caulfield on Oct 10.

“There was a big discussion back a fair bit and Peter said we can do it,” said Noffke.

“I’ve not seen anywhere where Peter’s not been right, this has been the plan and I’m sure that he’ll execute it just fine.”

In an attempt to thwart Sheza Alibi, champion trainer Chris Waller has made a couple of gear changes for Beiwacht, who will wear a Norton bit, and Autumn Boy, who has blinkers off, with stable representative Darren Beadman saying both horses had worked exceptionally well in the lead-up.

“All the way through his career, he’s raced in a ring bit,” said the former champion jockey.

“So something different, just psychologically. He’ll just get his mind off the normal bit that was in his mouth and the rider that rides most of his work said that he’s really taken to the bit.

“And when Autumn Boy didn’t have the blinkers on, when he won the Rosehill Guineas, he was just nice and relaxed. So with Zac Purton on board, he’s a good strong rider, a big stallion like Autumn Boy needs someone to help him through it.”

Beiwacht who ran third to Apocalyptic after trying to make all in the Listed Silver Eagle (1,300m) at Randwick on Oct 17, will again be ridden by regular partner Nash Rawiller.

Waller also saddles outsiders Mr Miller and Estremo who will have jockeys Zac Lloyd and Sam Clipperton up respectively.

The Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook was the noted drifter after the barrier draw coming up with barrier 16 and is rated a 12-1 chance while Silver Eagle winner Apocalyptic (16-1) drew 18 of 18 and is the only other runner shorter than 20-1. SKY RACING WORLD