Forgotten Feroce ready to soar in the 2025 Golden Eagle
The massive $10 million on offer in the Golden Eagle (1500m) has proven enough motivation for Dominic Sutton to send Group 1 winner Feroce to Randwick this weekend.
Sutton, still in his second year of training, made headlines earlier in the year when Feroce stormed home to claim the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Now, he hopes the gelding can add to his achievements on one of the richest racedays of the spring.
Feroce has been targeted at this race ever since finishing sixth in the Australian Cup (2000m) back in March.
Sutton took the gelding to the Toorak Handicap (1600m) last start expecting a forward showing, but circumstances didn’t unfold in his favour.
“It was obviously disappointing as we thought he could go there and win the Toorak, but we got the tactics wrong on the day,” Sutton said.
“We had to make a decision from barrier eight and the way the speed map was we either had to go back to last or try and put him into the race.
“We tried to put him into the race, but he did a lot of work early.
“He ran the quickest sectionals from the gates, but we probably learned a bit about him in that he needs a bit of cover in these high-pressure Group 1 races.”
Since then, Feroce sharpened up with a jump-out win at Flemington and has been deliberately worked in Sydney direction going into Saturday.
Sutton believes the market has dismissed him too quickly.
“He’s going to be the forgotten horse going up there against the big names like Autumn Glow, Linebacker, Evaporate, all coming off very good runs,” Sutton said.
“What we’ve seen at home is that he has really bounced out of that Toorak run and we’ve worked him the Sydney way a few times and his rider reports he goes better that way.
“He’s going up there rock hard fit and we know he’s a good horse on his day.”
With Billy Egan sidelined, Josh Parr comes in to take the reins.
“Billy got a big slap on the wrist out of the Toorak, and it finishes after Derby Day,” Sutton said.
“So, Josh Parr rides. He’s a very good jockey and gets rides in all the big races up there.
“He understands the tactics of the other jockeys, and he knows the Sydney horses, the ones to follow and which ones not to.
“He’s a nice patient rider and he should be the right fit.”
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