Ascoli Piceno, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2023 in Japan, will start in Australia for the first time in the $6.57 million Golden Eagle Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, Australia, on Friday night. Should she win, the victory will be well-deserved. Ascoli Piceno drew post 17 in a field of 20. At Rosehill Gardens, races at that distance are around one turn, beginning from a backstretch chute with a lengthy run to the turn. The stretch covers two furlongs. Ascoli Piceno will be favored on the strength of winning four of six starts. She was second in her first two starts this year in Grade 1 races – the Japanese 1000 Guineas in April and NHK Mile for 3-year-olds in May. She rebounded to win a Grade 3 race at a mile at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 8. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing Joliestar, an Australian-bred 4-year-old filly, is rated as the home country’s best chance. A Group 1 winner last November, she finished seventh by 1 1/2 lengths in the Group 1 Everest Stakes, a $13.3 million race at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Oct. 19. The Golden Eagle Stakes is part of a Rosehill Gardens program that begins at 9:10 p.m. Eastern or 6:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. While the Golden Eagle Stakes is the richest race in Australia this weekend, there are three Group 1 races at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. The rapidly-improving 3-year-old El Castello faces his sternest test in the Group 1, $1.34 million Victoria Derby at 1 9/16 miles. Trained by Anthony Cummings, El Castello has won his last four starts, beginning with a maiden race in early September. He won the Group 1 Champion Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on Oct. 26. Many of Australia’s top 3-year-old sprinters start in the preceding race, the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at six furlongs. In a field of 14, Traffic Warden should be well-placed as a stalker to win his third stakes. Growing Empire, third in the Everest by 1 1/4 lengths, is expected to be a slight favorite. Atishu, third against males in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct.  12, will be favored to end a six-race losing streak in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile. Atishu was second in the 2023 Empire Rose Stakes behind Pride of Jenni, who was named Horse of the Year for the 2023-2024 season in Australia. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.