The 1500m Golden Eagle takes place this Saturday at Randwick, worth an enormous $10 million in prize money.
The Golden Eagle is the only feature race in the country for four-year-olds only, created in 2019 with the intention to keep four-year-olds in training, along with keeping Sydney racing on the map.
Since its inauguration, Australians dominated the first few years, won by Kolding (2019), Colette (2020), I’m Thunderstruck (2021), and I Wish I Win (2022).
But then the internationals arrived in 2023 and spoiled the Aussie party.
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The first international winner, Japan's Obamburumai, swooped from the back to win in fine fashion.
This was followed by William Haggas in 2024, who made it back-to-back for the internationals with Lake Forest.
This year, Australia has one of its best chances yet with Chris Waller’s unbeaten mare, Autumn Flow, coming in as a short-priced odds-on favourite.
Ridden by James McDonald, the mare has been in blistering Sydney form, last winning the Epsom Handicap by 1.5L to take her career record to 7-0-0.
But as expected, there will be pressure from the internationals with the yet-to-be-seen Japanese Group 1 winner, Panja Tower.
Panja Tower arrives in Randwick with no Australian form, coming off a Group 1 victory in Tokyo and a Group 3 win in Sapporo.
But as we know, international horses have had plenty of success in the Golden Eagle.
And as Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising showed in the Everest, superstar horses can win Australia’s premier races without any issues first up.