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By Ray Hickson

He’s the son of a legendary Japanese trainer and for Shinsuke Hashiguchi having his exciting galloper Panja Tower run in the Golden Eagle is a very big deal.

Panja Tower's trainer Shinsuke Hashiguchi.

While the Japanese are no strangers to winning the Eagle, Obamburumai did that in 2023, the race represents Hashiguchi’s first foray into international racing and it’s important to him to make his mark.

Panja Tower, $6.50 with TAB on Wednesday, has won four of his six starts and brings a Japanese Group 1 win into the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on Saturday so expectations are high.

“Winning the Golden Eagle would be a great honour for both the horse and myself,’’ Hashiguchi said.

“It would also give us a lot of confidence. If we could win on our first international start, it would definitely open the door to targeting more overseas races in the future.

“His speed and fighting spirit are what make him special.

“He’s in excellent condition, and if he can perform to his ability on the day I believe he has a very good chance of winning.”

Kojiro Hashiguchi was a champion trainer in Japan, winning 10 Group 1s and training over 1000 winners in the racing mecca and Shinsuke took over his father’s horses and staff in 2016.

The horse arrived at Canterbury in good shape and when the trainer himself landed this week he was more than satisfied with how Panja Tower is progressing.

Along with stablemate Isana, who will give jockey Kohei Matsuyama a good look at the Randwick track when he contests the opening race at Randwick, Panja Tower had a gallop on the course proper on Wednesday and a chance to walk around the tie up stalls.

Matsuyama has ridden over 1300 winners and has ridden in Australia once before, in the 2023 Melbourne Cup, but Saturday will be his first Randwick rides.

It was all a little like Ka Ying Rising’s pre-Everest Randwick visit without all the fanfare.

“The transportation went smoothly, and we’ve been able to prepare him exactly as planned at Canterbury,’’ he said.

“I’m very satisfied with how everything has gone.

“He’s a horse that handles new environments and different track conditions very well.

“We actually decided before the NHK Mile that if he won that race, we would bring him here for the Golden Eagle.”

After that Group 1 win in the NHK Mile back in May, Panja Tower wasn’t seen again until August when he won the Group 3 Keeneland Cup (1200m) at Sapporo coming from well off the pace.

He’s drawn barrier four in the Golden Eagle and Hashiguchi said there are options with the horse as far as where he settles and it’s a bonus that his last start win was in the Sydney direction.

“I imagine he’ll settle around midfield and finish strongly,’’ he said.

“That said, he has enough early speed to go forward if we want to. We’ll make the final plan after we look at the barrier draw and discuss it with the jockey.

What a finish! 📸

ICYMI: PANJA TOWER won the G1 NHK Mile under Kohei Matsuyama. #NHKマイルカップ パンジャタワー 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/2wwx3qRFOX

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 11, 2025

Panja Tower wins the NHK Mile

“I have no concerns about him racing in the clockwise direction — he won impressively that way last start.

“Randwick is a bit wider and has a longer straight than Rosehill, so it’s less affected by the draw, which I think will suit Panja Tower well.”

When Obamburumai won the Golden Eagle two years ago, he provided a donation of $525,000 to Riding For The Disabled.

This year, Panja Tower and Mr Hashiguchi are aiming to do the same thing for their charity partner Ronald McDonald House.

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