Geoff Allendorf’s Grand Eagle finally put it all together with a dazzling display to bolt away with the Class 3 & 4 on Saturday.

Ridden by Manoel Nunes Grand Eagle flew the gates to land a clear length in front, and from then travelled sweetly in the run.

Cut loose by Nunes two hundred out, the son of Kempinsky (AUS) gapped his opposition to win in Class record time of 56.4 shaving .01 of Dr. Sweet’s old standard for the 1000 metres.

“That’s what I expected him to do at his very first start here.” Allendorf said after the win.

“He’s a big strong horse but he is an absolute nerve case and it’s taken awhile to get him to relax and settle a bit.”

“We’ve been taking him for easy rides around the roads after his work just to try something different with him to calm him a bit.”
 
Grand Eagle is raced by Australian owner Colin Keane, a prominent New South Wales Central Coast racing identity.

Keane enjoyed great success in Macau with his grand old sprinter Bennetts Green who won seven races in the enclave, and over $3 million in prizemoney.

Buoyed by that success Keane has continued to race horses in Macau with good results, and at present has five horses in training with Geoff Allendorf.

Grand Eagle really looks a cut above the average and with maturity will make it to the top echelon.

For jockey Manoel Nunes the win was part of a four timer on Saturday with a winner at Friday night’s program to boot.

Nunes is now on 42 winners for the season a whopping 24 in front of second placed Fausto Durso, with Stanley Chin in third spot on 15.

Nunes’ 42 winners come from a total of 159 rides giving him a strike rate of 26.4%, with another 37 placings to net a place percentage of 49.6%.

Racing Review by Harry Troy