There are at least one million reasons Australian Turf Club officials will be hoping a Japanese horse wins the $10m Golden Eagle for a second year in a row.
One of Japan’s best fillies, Ascoli Piceno, is set to start as favourite in Saturday’s cashed-up Rosehill feature.
Obamburumai won the race last year, and connections of Ascoli Piceno are predicting more horses from the Asian racing mecca will target the Golden Eagle should the Japanese clinch back-to-back triumphs.
Racing NSW is banking on the Golden Eagle being elevated to group 1 status next year. Should that come to pass, and a Japanese horse feature in the 2025 race, the governing body can then apply to the Japan Racing Association to have the race shown live in Japan and bet on by the locals.
Japanese punters invested around $45 billion on horse racing last year.
The last time a Sydney race was shown and bet on in Japan was the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, when Unicorn Lion finished fifth.
The Australian Turf Club have good reason to cheer Ascoli Piceno to victory in Saturday’s Golden Eagle.Credit: Jessica Hromas/SMH
The sum collected by the ATC from Japanese markets after that race remains confidential, but sources with knowledge of the final figure not authorised to speak publicly confirmed to this masthead the amount was in the “hundreds of thousands of dollars”. The same sources confirmed the ATC could expect to earn around $1million from Japan’s Golden Eagle interest.
Japan has excluded itself from other racing jurisdictions when it comes to betting pools, but Racing NSW hopes the Golden Eagle becomes one of their annual targets, and a long-term relationship is forged.
The Everest was granted group 1 status this year, and local officials want the Golden Eagle to quickly follow suit.
Ascoli Piceno is the $3.50 early favourite with bookies, and was given a spin around Canterbury by jockey Joao Moreira for the first time last Wednesday. Rival jockey Tommy Berry, who will ride fellow Japanese horse Corazon Beat, said of Ascoli Piceno last week: “If Ascoli Piceno gets all the luck in running, we won’t be beating her – I don’t think anything will get close to her; she’s that good.”
The Golden Eagle will also feature unbeaten French galloper Lazzat, and William Haggas’ English raider Lake Forest.
One-time early favourite Celestial Legend is heading to the paddock and will not run on Saturday. Joe Pride confirmed last week his Epsom and King Charles III Stakes winner Ceowulf had already gone for a spell, while Right To Party, Kimochi, Zardozi, Arkansaw Kid and Griff are all expected not to feature.
Ostraka, War Machine, Tom Kitten, Xidaki, Joliestar, Stefi Magnetica, Southport Tycoon, Veight, Makarena, Encap, Chrysaor, Skybird, Kintyre and Moravia are expected to join the four internationals when acceptances are confirmed on Tuesday, with Port Lockroy, No. 48 on the original ballot, to scrape into the final spot in the 20-horse race.
Meanwhile, Everest champion Bella Nipotina has been nominated for the $3m Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), along with Sunshine In Paris, Lady Laguna, Private Eye and I Am Me.
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