By Craig Kerry
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan believes Amazing Eagle is “going terrific” despite a disrupted preparation he hopes will come good at Randwick on Saturday – just a week before his shot at the $3 million Magic Millions Guineas on the Gold Coast.
The Capitalist colt is assured of a start in the Guineas, but his build-up has not gone to plan.
Amazing Eagle, left, winning the Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick on October 26.Credit: Getty Images
After his win in the listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 26, Amazing Eagle was a close second in the Magic Millions Pierata Plate (1200m) on a heavy Doomben track on November 30.
The three-year-old was injured in that fast-finishing run, which was the first of his setbacks heading towards the Magic Millions.
He hit another on Monday morning when he pulled up with a minor heel problem after track work, prompting trainers Ryan and Sterling Alexiou to scratch from the listed Gosford Guineas at Wyong on Tuesday.
“He was out working so he’s either stood on something or whacked it,” Ryan said.
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan.Credit: Getty Images
“You can’t treat them the day before a race. If I could have iced and pollstered him, he would have been right to run. But he wasn’t quite 100 per cent.
“He’s been unlucky. He won at Randwick then he went up there [to Doomben], missed the start, and he got whacked in the eye, and he had a big eye for about four or five days, and that’s why he hasn’t raced since.
“We were going to run him last week [at Randwick], then we decided to wait for the Gosford Guineas.”
Despite the condensed schedule heading to the Gold Coast, Ryan said Amazing Eagle would take his place at Randwick on Saturday in benchmark 88 handicap over 1200m.
“He needs to have a run before he goes to 1400 metres, otherwise he will be six weeks between runs,” Ryan said. “But he’s going terrific.”
Amazing Eagle, a $400,000 Magic Millions yearling for George Moore Bloodstock and TFI Racing, was a $3.50 Sportsbet chance on Saturday and a $26 hope for the Guineas. Reece Jones rides him at Randwick, where he has gate two and just 53 kilograms. Bjorn Baker-trained Disneck was the $2.60 favourite.
This Saturday on the Gold Coast, Ryan and Alexiou have only Diddle Dumpling running. She was a $9.50 chance in the $250,000 Magic Millions Rising Stars Handicap, a class four for the three and four-year-old fillies and mares.
