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| Staff Writer |
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The countdown to the US$10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens has intensified with international challengers stepping up their preparations at Canterbury. The 1500m contest, restricted to four-year-olds, has drawn a formidable overseas contingent including Ascoli Piceno, Corazon Beat, Lazzat and Lake Forest.
Japanese sensation Ascoli Piceno, trained by Yoichi Kuroiwa, heads the international brigade and demonstrated her class during crucial trackwork under Joao Moreira. The Gr.1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies winner is bidding to deliver back-to-back victories for Japan following Obamburumai's triumph in 2023.
Fellow Japanese raider Corazon Beat, from the Shizuya Kato stable, caught the eye during her Canterbury workout under Tommy Berry. "Corazon Beat is a lovely filly," Berry said. "She looks very well in the coat and has a great attitude. I thought she put in a really strong piece of work this morning."
The Golden Eagle, inaugurated in 2019, has quickly established itself as a prestigious target on the international racing calendar. Previous winners include Kolding (2019), Colette (2020), I'm Thunderstruck (2021), and Alligator Blood (2022), before Obamburumai's victory last year marked the first international success.
Ascoli Piceno and Corazon Beat have crossed paths three times in Japan, with Kuroiwa's charge prevailing on each occasion. Their most notable clash came in the Gr.1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, where they finished first and third respectively. More recently, they met in the Gr.3 Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap, which saw Ascoli Piceno emerge victorious.
Berry remains optimistic about Corazon Beat's chances: "She went off the boil there at her last couple of starts but had genuine excuses from what the stable have reported to me and they are very pleased with her going into it. Early on in her career she had good form behind the favourite and there wasn't a lot between them, only a length-and-a-half or so."
The international challenge is further strengthened by unbeaten French star Lazzat and British challenger Lake Forest, trained by William Haggas, who will have the services of Cieren Fallon in the saddle.
"I obviously saw the favourite out there with Joao aboard her and you can easily see why she is favourite. She is a beast and a beautiful filly," Berry added. "She will take some beating for sure but I think my filly is a great top four chance."