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By Ray Hickson

It’s been a wild ride for connections of Fully Lit over the past few months and not even co-trainer Adrian Bott could have predicted his comeback campaign would include Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick.

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Grant Guy)

The four-year-old has always been one poor run away from heading to the paddock and that was very much the likelihood when he had his sixth run for the preparation back on August 16.

That was a benchmark 78, he started $12 on the back of five unplaced runs and he won by five lengths.

Some two and a half months later he’s Group 1 and Group 3 placed and giving his owners the thrill of contesting a $10 million race at what will be his tenth run since returning from over a year off the scene.

Bott said Fully Lit has very much earned his spot in the Eagle as since that win he’s done nothing but go from strength to strength.

“At any stage we’ve been waiting to see signs from him to say ‘hey I’m feeling the campaign’,’’ he said.

“Remarkably it was quite the opposite, the more he raced and deeper he got into the campaign the stronger he got.

“He was putting on condition in work, he looked better in himself and was going about everything in a much better frame of mind.

“He would have been forgiven to say 'I’ve had enough' but he’s kept stepping up. He’s been proving me wrong all prep so I'm happy for him to do it again.”

Fully Lit, $34 with TAB after Tuesday’s barrier draw where he came up with 14, has been partnered with the Royce Simmons Foundation and under the conditions of the Golden Eagle the charity will receive 10 per cent of whatever the horse earns.

It’s been almost a month since Fully Lit made star mare Autumn Glow chase him down to win the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Bott, who co-trains with Gai Waterhouse, said a subsequent trial has him ticking over well for another bout with the favourite.

He has a 6.5kg weight turnaround against him to contend with if he’s to turn the tables.

“It’s not as good a set up for him,’’ Bott said.

“But he runs well at the track and slightly back in trip for a strongly run race will suit.

“He’s had a great lead up, coming off those mile runs has been what’s been needed to be competitive in this type of race.

“It might be a race where there’s a lot more pressure than we initially expected but in these big races there’s always pressure on.

“It was an excellent run in the Epsom and I thought he looked equally good in his tickover trial.

“Things went his way that day, he was well weighted and Winona (Costin) was able to rate him beautifully so everything we went out to do that day fell his way.”

The outside barrier doesn’t help stablemate Shangri La Spring but Bott said he’s ready to run the best race of his preparation if he has any luck.

A second-up fourth in the Silver Eagle (1300m) suggested to the trainer that the gelding is looking for more ground now.

Fully Lit runs second in the Epsom Handicap

“I feel he’s had a good campaign, this is the toughest race he’s been in but I feel he will run better than his odds suggest,’’ he said.

“His runs over short trips have been excellent, he’s ready to peak and a strongly run 1500m at Randwick will suit him.”

Shangri La Spring, a Group 3 winner at 2000m in the autumn, is a $71 chance with TAB and his charity partner is Camp Quality.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Eagle meeting at Randwick