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Australia’s second richest turf race, the $10 million Golden Eagle, takes place at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday with the field of hopeful four-year-olds now confirmed and the raiders set to rule according to the bookies.

There’s a Japanese flair to this year’s 1500m feature again with the visiting Ascoli Piceno favourite to beat home the locals for trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa and go back-to-back for Japan.

Japan’s Obamburumai became the first international Golden Eagle champion last year when surging from the back to run down the Godolphin duo of Pericles and Golden Mile with Josh Parr, who replaced the injured Yutaka Take, in the saddle.

This year, classy mare Ascoli Piceno heads Golden Eagle odds at $3.40 through Ladbrokes.com.au for a first-up win in Australia to add to her already impressive record with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira booked for the ride.

A four-time winner from six starts she is a Group 1 winner over the mile back home and was last seen saluting in a Group 3 as the odds-on elect in early September.

Also hailing from overseas is unbeaten French galloper Lazzat at around $7 for the win also being kept short in the markets on this year’s Golden Eagle race.

Trainer Jerome Reynier and connections were tempted by the big prize money to travel down under with their impressive Territories gelding who has won all six of his starts to date.

He went to another level winning a Group 1 over 1300m at Deauville last start back in early August by a runaway three lengths with 57kg.

His undefeated record goes on the line now fresh in Syndey.

Of the local hopes the best supported in Golden Eagle betting is the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.

Colette (2020) is the only Golden Eagle winning mare from the opening five editions and there is money for Joliestar to be the next handing Waller a second win.

He took out the inaugural edition in 2019 with Kolding and looks to have a genuine winning chance again this spring with his Thousand Guineas winning daughter of Zoustar.

Joliestar was last seen finishing a midfield seventh in the $20 million The Everest in a blanket finish only 1.59 lengths off the winner Bella Nipotina.

Godolphin had the two placegetters behind the Japanese galloper last year and this season the James Cummings-trained Tom Kitten also has admirers to hand the Royal Blue victory with Ben Melham booked for the ride.

Last year’s Spring Champion Stakes winner has been racing in outstanding form this prep including a second in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap two back and a last start fourth at big odds only 3.4 lengths beaten in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes behind Ceolwulf in both races.

Other early standouts include the Bjorn Baker-trained Group 1 Stradbroke winner in Brisbane Stefi Magnetica coming off a ninth in The Everest who has flying apprentice Zac Lloyd in the saddle and Ciaron Maher‘s recent Manikato champ in Melbourne Southport Tycoon who big race specialist Craig Williams rides.

The official 2024 Golden Eagle barrier draw was conducted at around 8pm (AEDT) and shown on ‘Fly Like an Eagle’ on Sky Thoroughbred Central with Ascoli Piceno suffering an early blow with barrier 17.

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