Eagle Rox is flying high
The patience shown by owners Peter Barbetti and Ross North and trainer-reinsman Kim Prentice is being richly rewarded by the deeds of six-year-old Eagle Rox, who is emerging as a leading candidate for the $45,000 Norms Daughter Classic and the $120,000 Mares Classic next month.
Eagle Rox broke down in the WA Oaks in May 2013 in which she finished sixth behind the brilliant Frith and then was off the scene for 28 months before resuming racing with a runaway victory at Pinjarra early in September.
She has gone from strength to strength and her six starts in this campaign have produced four wins and two seconds to improve e her record to 20 starts for ten wins, seven placings and earnings of $151,984. She looks very hard to beat, even from a wide barrier, in the 1730m Sully’s Painting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Before her misadventure in the WA Oaks Eagle Rox was an outstanding two-year-old, winning the $100,000 Diamond Classic and finishing third to Arma Xpress and Northview Punter in a three-way photo finish in the Golden Slipper Stakes.
“She injured a tendon in the Oaks,” Prentice said. “And we knew how good she was, so we gave her ample time to make a full recovery.”
Her latest run, over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Friday week, was full of merit. She started from the back line and settled down in eighth position before she moved to third (three wide) at the bell and then fought on grandly to finish a 2m second to the pacemaker Nuala, with the final quarters being covered in 27.9sec. and 28.3sec.
Eagle Rox will not have a stroll in the park on Friday night from out wide at barrier No. 8 in the 1730m event. She will be tested by the Nathan Turvey-trained Hidden Bad, who is ideally drawn at barrier No. 1.
At her second appearance after a let-up Hidden Bad was favourite at 3/1 on when she led from the inside barrier, but raced roughly under pressure late in the event and finished second, two lengths behind Eagle Rox, who raced three wide for much of the first circuit and then in the breeze.
Turvey has a good second string in this week’s event in Stunin Eyes Only, who covered a lot of extra ground when second to the speedy Kiralin over 2100m at Bunbury on Tuesday of last week.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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