International Horse Profile: Maximal
Last seen in listed grade beaten 4 lengths. Ran to 111 Timeform on that day. Was the race under-rated though? The race winner, Baaeed ran 112+ and has since ran 128+ last start. Baaeed went on to win a group 3 later that month, a Group 1 in September and Group 1 in October.
Previous start raced in Group 1 company when running 4th to previous G1 winners Poetic Flare and Lucky Vega in the St James’ Palace Stakes.
Maximal was still traveling 350m out when got clear in the St James’s Palace Stakes and finished strongly beaten under a length by 2nd.
How do these international horses ratings match up with market favourite I’m Thunderstuck? Timeform gave the horse 113 Timeform rating in both the Sir Rupert Clarke and Toorak Handicap.
Can Maximal win the Golden Eagle?
The team pushed up out to 2000m and the horse just didn’t handle the distance. Back to 1600m and he ran a career peak 114 in that Group 1. He loves a good firming track and won’t be upset with a good to soft track which translates to Firm 2 to Soft 5 being ideal. By the weather radar, it looks like he will get it. He has the talent and the ability to win this.
Trainer John O’Shea is very happy with the progress Maximal has made since landing in Sydney and has high hopes for the $7.5 million XXXX Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens on October 30 @Juddmonte @racing_nsw @JohnOSheaRacing#GoldenEagle #EverestCarnival pic.twitter.com/rXDsvtOf0l
— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) October 21, 2021