Guineas winners Maher chasing Eagle

Ciaron Maher’s attack on Saturday’s Golden Eagle at Rosehill will come with two Guineas winners Griff and Southport Tycoon entering this lucrative event in contrasting form.

Australian Guineas winner Southport Tycoon recently won the G1 Manikato Stakes two starts ago and third last start on Overpass in the Sydney Stakes at Randwick, while 2023 Caulfield Guineas winner Griff is unplaced in five starts this year.

But Maher hasn’t given up on Griff and expects the galloper, who is $101 at Sportsbet, to have success.

“I thought his last effort was probably his best, even though he was beaten a long way, he had a lot to offer,” Maher said of Griff, who finished 11th in the Weekend Hussler Stakes in his last start.

“In his two previous runs he’s worked a bit in the future, especially in the Sandown Stakes, so we went quietly last start and he didn’t get a crack at them. His jockey Ben Melham was on his feet after the race. and said he would be at the finish line.”

Maher was enthusiastic about Southport Tycoon’s prospects, saying he is a great racehorse who gets better with every start.

“Winning the Manikato Stakes two starts ago was a great run and he followed it up with a third behind Overpass, who is a flying machine. He’s a real racehorse and his spring goal is the Golden Eagle,” he said.

Southport Tycoon is $12 on Sportsbet and will be driven by Craig Williams.