The Silver Eagle will be a fork in the road for lightly raced mare Gerringong as connections weigh up several feature race options in the coming weeks.
Jockey Tim Clark, who partnered her when runner-up to Manaal in the Golden Pendant last start, said Saturday’s Randwick assignment would be important in determining where she headed next with the Golden Eagle (1500m) and The Invitation (1400m) among the options.
Her Silver Eagle (1300m) rivals include Group 1 winner Linebacker, who is on the third line of Golden Eagle betting, and Clark said that horse would provide a measuring stick in assessing Gerringong’s suitability to press onto the $10 million showpiece.
“She would need to do something pretty special on Saturday to put her hand up but I’m not saying she isn’t capable of doing that,” Clark said.
“The other day she ran well but she’d come just come back from Melbourne. She looks like she has really blossomed in the past few weeks back in Sydney and I think she will go a lot better this weekend.
“Hopefully she can put her hand up for a Golden Eagle berth, or there is The Invitation as well.”
Gerringong is a four-time stakes placegetter from nine starts and has the inside gate.
She will carry 54kg, 4-1/2 kilos less than Linebacker and while Clark conceded the topweight was the class runner, he said his mare’s on-pace racing style could be crucial.
“We’ve got that weight advantage and tactically, we might have a slight advantage as far as position in the run goes,” he said.
“She is knocking on the door, she is lightly raced, and she is a talented mare in her own right.
“Hopefully she can knock one of these races over soon. She’s due.”
