The Chris Waller-trained Funstar has suffered an early blow drawing the extreme outside barrier in the capacity 18-starter The Golden Eagle 2020 field at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

Chris Waller’s classy mare Funstar has drawn right out in the 2020 The Golden Eagle field in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

It is shaping up as a thrilling edition of the country’s second-richest race when a full field of four-year-olds take to the track in the $7.5 million Iron Jack Golden Eagle (1500m).

Sydney’s 10-time premiership winning trainer Waller saddles-up three including the current $4.60 favourite in The Golden Eagle betting at Ladbrokes.com.au, Funstar.

The punters have stuck with the Adelaide mare, last seen running second to Probabeel in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) from October 3, where she also had a wide alley (16 of 17) to overcome.

She didn’t fare any betting in The Golden Eagle barrier draw coming up with 22, into 18 with emergencies out.

Kept fresh since the Epsom, Funstar performs best with her runs spaced and has finished first or second in all but two of her dozen career starts to date.

It’s been a while between drinks however as she chases her first victory since the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at The Golden Eagle track and distance back in March on a Heavy track.

With Rosehill at a Heavy (9) at acceptance stage for The Golden Eagle, the bookies are tipping the mudlark in the mix to overcome her wide barrier and return to winning form.

The danger occupying the second line of betting at $6.50 is star Queenslander Alligator Blood (15) out to atone for his two lead-up losses.

Jockey Ryan Maloney sticks aboard the David Vandyke-trained son of All Too Hard, the Australian Guineas champ from the autumn racing third-up on the back of his second to Flit in the $500,000 Silver Eagle (1300m) from October 10.

Godolphin’s Silver Eagle winning mare Flit meanwhile has been forgotten by the punters in the Rosehill rematch this weekend, the daughter of Medaglia D’Oro out to $14 to get the better of Alligator Blood and the rest again in the Grand Final.

Godolphin trainer James Cummings also saddles-up the early market mover Colette ($9) who is also currently the only other single-figure The Golden Eagle hopeful.

Drawn ideally in barrier six, the Hallowed Crown mare is best known for her runaway 2.5 length victory in April’s Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) run in the mud.

Third-up in the Epsom she was only two lengths beaten running sixth on a Good (4) and should appreciate the give out of the ground this weekend, but will need to be sharp over the shorter distance.

Other notable The Golden Eagle horses chasing the lucrative $4.1 million first prize include: the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Epsom third placegetter Riodini ($13), Bottega ($15) coming off back-to-back thirds in easier companny and the rails-drawn Sierra Sue ($13) chasing a third win on the trot.

Click here for the latest The Golden Eagle 2020 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 The Golden Eagle Final Field & Barrier Draw

   Table Credit: Racing Australia.