Eagle Nest's broodmare value set to soar

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Gerald Ryan is hopeful Eagle Nest can significantly boost her broodmare value if she can claim her first stakes race in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich on Saturday.

Eagle Nest went under the hammer at Sydney’s Chairman’s Sales in May and was knocked down to Newgate Bloodstock for $300,000.

The daughter of Irish sire Shalaa started her career with former champion Hong Kong trainer John Moore at the Gold Coast but only had a barrier trial before being moved on to Sydney’s Annabel Neasham.

However, Eagle Nest had only two starts for Neasham before being transferred to Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou at Rosehill.

Moore and his father, legendary jockey George Moore, remain shareholders in Eagle Nest after she went under the hammer at the Chairman’s Sales in Sydney in May.

Eagle Nest was originally purchased for $550,000 at the Inglis yearling sales in Sydney as she has a stout pedigree with her mother being a half-sister to former Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way.

“John was in the original syndicate, which was wound up, so he bought back into her after she was sold at the Chairman’s sale,” Ryan said.

“The Moores have about eight horses in our stable.”

Eagle Nest is on her second trip to Brisbane after finishing fourth in the Listed Tattersall’s Classic over 1200 metres at Doomben in November last year.

A rising five-year-old, Eagle Nest has tried five times to win a stakes race without breaking through and is coming off a close fifth in a Listed race at Randwick on June 8.

“It was a heavy track that day and she got caught up on the worst part of the track on the side,” Ryan said.

“She’s been very consistent so she should run well at Ipswich and she’s better on top of the ground.

“It’s a tough race but she’s not a big mare and is weighted up to her best with 58.5kgs.”

Ryan has booked Michael Rodd to partner Eagle Nest who arrived on the Gold Coast on Thursday morning.

Eagle Nest worked her way through the grades last campaign with a hat-trick of wins before her first test at stakes level when fourth in the Tattersall’s Classic.

She subsequently ran twice at Group 3 level during the Sydney autumn carnival before her best effort at Listed level when second in the Gold Rush at Hawkesbury on May 4.

Ryan has no plans to extend Eagle Nest’s campaign in Queensland and will send her to the paddock after her Ipswich assignment to concentrate on fillies and mares races during the Sydney spring carnival.