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By Ray Hickson

There’s no substitute for race fitness and that’s the major concern from co-trainer Sterling Alexiou as stakes winning entire Amazing Eagle returns from 11 months off the scene at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Sterling Alexiou

Last spring’s Brian Crowley Stakes winner hasn’t raced since late November where he was narrowly beaten at Doomben on a heavy track.

He was being prepared for a tilt at the Gosford Guineas but he pulled up with some bone bruising following a trial just before Christmas.

Alexiou, who co-trains with Gerald Ryan, said plenty of effort has gone into ensuring Amazing Eagle is as fit as possible for the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1100m).

“He’s had a while off the scenes with a couple of joint and feet issues,’’ he said.

“He’s had a solid grounding with three solid trials. He’s a four-year-old entire and a big boy now and he’s taken a bit of work. While he has had three trials he’ll take significant improvement from whatever he does.”

Amazing Eagle, $4.20 with TAB on Friday, has the 60kg to carry first-up for Tyler Schiller but it’s offset a little by an inside gate.

Alexiou said his Hawkesbury and Randwick trials were deliberately soft, even though he was competitive, but he was asked to put the foot down in his latest one to be ready to race.

“We gave him two nice trials and a pretty good clean out at Warwick Farm the other day to get him nice and fit,’’ he said.

“If he can hit back with his best it looks a nice race for him and hopefully he can get onto better races throughout the preparation.”

Grand Eagle takes on Marhoona once again in the Group 2 $300,000 Canadian Club Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and Alexiou said he showed last start he’s capable of mixing it in that company.

He is worse off at the weights for a defeat of under a length but the step up in distance is in his favour – if he’s able to run on from off the speed.

“I think he’s probably an underestimated horse the other day and with a bit more luck he goes very close,’’ he said.

“With his racing pattern at times he probably settles a bit further back than ideal.

“Around 1100m at Rosehill you don’t want to be giving too much of a start but he was hitting the line really well late and the step up to 1200m is what he needs now.”

A decision is to be made on whether General Salute takes his place in the $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) or is saved for the $2m Sydney Stakes (1200m) next weekend.

It’s been 18 months since the five-year-old tackled the 1400m and Alexiou said he’s more seasoned now but is wary he has a slightly awkward draw.

General Salute chased home unbeaten star Autumn Glow in the Theo Marks (1300m) last start which is obviously strong form given she went on to win the Epsom.

“It’s hard to poke holes in his form in his last four or five runs,’’ he said.

Amazing Eagle wins a Warwick Farm trial on October 3

“He showed his versatility the other day and began well and put himself in the race. She was still too good for us but I thought our bloke acquitted himself well.

“He gives every indication that 1400m this preparation is not beyond him. I put the hard word on the jockey after his run behind Autumn Glow about the 1400m and he thought it would hold no fears.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill