Eagle Falls Leaves Rivals In His Wake

Two decisions by the connections of Eagle Falls saw him win the biggest race of his career to date in the Group 2 Salinger Stakes yesterday.

One was taken in March after the promising galloper ran a disappointing sixth in the Australian Guineas and the other shortly before yesterday’s 1200-metre event.

After the Australian Guineas it was revealed that the son of Hussonet had a breathing problem and the decision was made to have it remedied surgically.

“We didn’t think about it, we just got it [the operation] done straight away and it’s been very successful,” said trainer David Hayes.

The other decision was to stay on the inside of the straight course after Eagle Falls had drawn barrier four.

Eagle Falls had been able to get some cover in the early part of the race behind Red Element and Mr Slick before peeling to the outside as the field came onto the course proper.

He quickly took over the lead with inside division with 300 metres to travel and toughed it out well to win by three quarters of a length from Turffontein, who ran home strongly out wide. Absolutelyfabulous ran on well over the latter stages to be a further three-quarters of a length away third.

Jockey Damien Oliver said he got plenty of confidence from Hayes and Ramsden to stay on the inside and explained that it would have been difficult to head out and get into the position he wanted.

“It made a lot of sense to stay on the inside. It’s hard to go out there and end up in the spot you want to be. If we had headed out there we would have played right into First Command’s lap,” Oliver said.

“It’s hard to ride a race against the outside. You just have to concentrate on the inside and hope you get the rest right.”

At Caulfield at his previous start Eagle Falls had been held up at a vital stage of the race before running home better than anything.

“Ollie got off and said sorry at Caulfield and he rarely says that. He [Eagle Falls] ran the fastest 900 metres of the race and lost,” Hayes said.

While Hayes joked that the sprint on Derby day was formerly a Group 1 race and should have stayed one, he believed Eagle Falls, who has now won six of 11 starts, had a group 1 race in him.

“We have him entered in the Emirates Stakes next Saturday but I’m more inclined to put him aside with a view to the autumn,” he said. “I think he is a genuine Group 1 horse and would be very well suited in the Newmarket.”

Source: Andrew Garvey, The Age