Sheza Alibi has firmed at the head of betting for the Oct. 31, AU$10 million Golden Eagle (G1) after drawing barrier 6 in the 18-runner field at Randwick Racecourse. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare, who is bidding to bounce back from her narrow defeat in the Might And Power Stakes (G1), was installed as the AU$1.90 favorite ahead of Chris Waller-trained pair Beiwacht and Autumn Boy, who share the second line of betting at AU$8 after drawing barriers 10 and 5, respectively.
"I was very happy," Sheza Alibi's owner Fred Noffke said of the draw. "I asked Peter what he wanted and Peter didn't mind so long as I was drawn out a bit."
Sheza Alibi returns to a more comfortable distance of 1,500 meters (about 7 1/2 furlongs) after stretching out beyond 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) for the first time in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Might And Power.
Waller has opted to fit Beiwacht with a norton bit, while Autumn Boy will race without blinkers. Skyhook drifted to AU$13 after drawing barrier 16, while Silver Eagle winner Apocalyptic is a AU$17 chance after landing the outside gate.
Coolmore Stud Stakes
Last-start Danehill Stakes (G2) winner The Next Episode will be bidding to provide connections with a huge result in Saturday's Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) at Flemington Racecourse. The Ciaron Maher-trained colt has made six starts in his career to date, winning four of them including the Danehill, Dalrello Stakes, and Magic Millions National 2YO Classic. Maher paid AU$2.8 million (US$1,740,589) for The Next Episode at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and could see that investment returned tenfold should the colt land this weekend's stallion-making contest.
"It's pressure that you want to have," he said. "Every person that goes to a yearling sale, every person that breeds a colt, they're your Tattslotto tickets. That's what the industry is geared around. You want to have these horses and you want to be performing in this race. That's been his goal. I raced him into the winter and took him to Queensland with a view to going fresh into this race.
"He had a look down the straight (in the Danehill) and he ticked that box, he's had a month between (runs), which I love, and a little tick over trial here the other morning was lovely, just to give him another look down the straight. He should be pretty close to right at his best."
Empire Rose
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Surfin' Bird will chase a hat trick of victories Saturday when she heads to Flemington Racecourse for the Empire Rose Stakes (G1). Under the guidance of Jordan Childs, the 5-year-old mare has landed the Caulfield Vase (G3) and Kia Ora Stud Mile (G2) on her last two starts, and will now have her first crack at group 1 level this weekend—where she will not have the task of facing Pride Of Jenni, who is still recovering from cellulitis.
"It's a huge difference, and for all the mares in it," Waterhouse said of Pride Of Jenni's absence. "The pressure won't be on in the same way, and it should be a more sensibly run race. She's (Surfin' Bird) almost a different horse. Last year, she would have been beaten on Saturday, but this year, she's a year older, more mature, bigger and stronger. ... She has thrived this preparation and her win last week was really gutsy I thought. I think the Empire Rose is a winnable race this year."
Surfin' Bird will face an in-form Lady Shenandoah, who is coming off a last-out win in the Toorak Handicap (G1) Oct. 10, her first win since March 2025.
Victoria Derby
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young will launch a two-pronged attack on Saturday's Victoria Derby (G1) at Flemington, chasing the stable's first victory in the 2,500-meter (about 1 9/16-mile) classic since Sangster's triumph in 2011. The Cranbourne-based trainers have entered Cignetti and Icy You among the 16 entries. Cignetti heads into the Derby following a third-place finish in the Caulfield Classic (G3), while Icy You was also third in the Geelong Classic.
"I think Cignetti has that little bit better turn of foot, whereas Icy You is more an out-and-out stayer," Young said.
