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By Ray Hickson

The twists and turns of a spring preparation have led to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott eyeing Saturday’s $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens with an in-form horse who wasn’t meant to be there and one always set for the race but needing to find his best.

Trainer Adrian Bott. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Bott said while In The Congo’s sights were originally set south of the border his return to form in the Sydney Stakes made the Eagle a logical target.

In Converge’s case, he was shaping as one of the headline horses of the Golden Eagle heading into his four-year-old year but his form in three runs at the top level this season have left Bott scratching his head.

“It could easily be he hasn’t quite come up,’’ Bott said of Converge.

“A few heavy tracks early in the prep could have dulled his brilliance and no doubt he lost a bit of confidence from that.

“With In The Congo we had our eyes on a few targets in Melbourne, he had a few tricky draws and the tracks down there didn’t suit him. Prizemoney lured him back here and we felt he was better placed so here we are.”

It did seem eye-opening that In The Congo would be tried at the 1500m of the Eagle instead of the Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) given his lead up run came in a 1200m sprint.

But it’s easy to forget we’re talking about a Golden Rose winner at three and Bott said his game second to Rocketing By in the Sydney Stakes two weeks ago was the type of 1200m race that will bring him on for Saturday’s stamina test.

“The key to being here was a run with merit in the Sydney Stakes. If he won or ran well we thought that sets him up well and he should be taking his place in the Golden Eagle,’’ he said.

“He is fit enough to handle it, he’s had quite a good foundation and grounding going into that 1200m race. That run will really bring him on and it was a tough 1200m as well.

“The distance is unknown but as a three-year-old he was a Group 1 winner at the 1400m at that track and that was arguably his career best performance.

“If he can run those career best figures and, being a year older, extend that to the 1500m it puts him right in the mix particularly with his racing style.”

In The Congo, $9 with TAB on Wednesday, drew ideally in gate four with Tim Clark to ride while Converge, $34, jumps from 16 for Regan Bayliss.

Converge was a Group 1 winner at two and was able to beat Anamoe to win the Group 1 Randwick Guineas back in March before chasing the star galloper home in the Rosehill Guineas.

Bott said on face value he can’t fault the gelding but it’s hard to ignore the fact he’s only beaten four horses home in his three spring starts.

A change of routine is what Bott is pinning his hopes on, plus an improving track, to spark Converge back to the form that saw him topple one of the nation’s best horses just over six months ago.

“I couldn’t be happier with him going there in terms of his work,’’ he said.

“Obviously you’d like more confidence to take from his form going in but he’s back to his own age, on a better track, back to set weights, so there’s a few things that could, hopefully, naturally turn things around.

“He got the better track in the Toorak but maybe that way of going for the first time he still got a bit lost. It’s hard to be too critical but at the same time we are still making excuses for the preparation which hasn’t been ideal.

In The Congo runs second in the Sydney Stakes

“At the end of the day this has been ultimately what he’s set for.”

Of course charity is a huge part of the Golden Eagle and Bott said he’s pleased to have In The Congo running for Redkite and Converge for the Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.

Ten per cent of whatever prizemoney the horses earn will be donated to their respective partners with the winner’s cheque $525,000.

“That’s what makes this race unique and I think it is really important from an industry perspective what the perception is out there and what we can contribute,’’ Bott said.

“It’s a hugely positive concept and we’ve heard some great stories in the few runnings of the race from the charities that have been given those big grants.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Eagle meeting at Rosehill