The stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott could count their morningâs work at the Warwick Farm trials as well worthwhile after training the first three over the line in the opening heat, then In The Congo notched another trial win towards a likely Golden Eagle campaign.
Should In The Congo line up in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) on October 29 with the possibility of becoming the first horse to snare the Group 1 Golden Rose/Golden Eagle double, he would follow a path take by only one other horse, Dawn Passage, in so far as the only galloper to have run in both races.
In The Congo won the trial over 813 metres under a hold by jockey Tim Clark by more than a length margin over the Annabel Neasham-trained Yes Baby Yes on a course rated as Soft 7.
Failing to return a winner in the Autumn of 2022, he is in the early Golden Eagle market with Ladbrokes at $15 with Illation and Sundayâs Group 1 Prix Jacque le Marois (1600m) at Deauville second-placed Light Infantry sharing favouritism at $8.
While the preparation is âso far so goodâ, where then does In The Congo lay among former winners of the Golden Eagle which will see its fourth running this year?
âWhile In The Congo couldnât be considered a strong Golden Rose winner, his win over Anamoe was a better performance than any that the three Golden Eagle winners had produced at the same point in time,â says Adam Blencowe, Racing And Sportsâ Senior Handicapper.
âAnd of those three winners â Kolding, Colette and Iâm Thunderstruck â only Kolding outperformed In The Congoâs current rating in the Eagle itself.â
The opening trial saw five-year-old Dajraan winning over 1209-metres with stablemates Sacramento and Converge filling the placings.
While Nash Rawiller pressed Dajraan to the line, Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Converge was given a quieter time by Clark but allowed to stride out late in the piece.
Converge is rated an $11 chance in the Golden Eagle market.