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Gosford Cup stepping stone for refreshed Goldman

3 minute read

Tulloch Lodge gelding Goldman is back on track and poised to fulfill his staying potential.

Goldman winning the Lexus Roy Higgins.
Goldman winning the Lexus Roy Higgins. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

An extended first campaign in Australia might have brought about the undoing of one-time Melbourne Cup fancy Goldman in the spring, but the measures taken to rectify that are set to pay immediate dividends.

The five-year-old is a solid $3 favourite for Saturday's Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) as he searches for his first win since defeating subsequent Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe in the 2023 Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington.

It was the culmination of a barnstorming start to the former New Zealander's Australian career during which time he won his first three runs by a combined total of over 13 lengths.

However, when he failed to fire in four spring appearances, trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott sent him for a lengthy spell and started again.

"In hindsight, that (first) preparation just had us on the back foot and with that, we elected to skip the autumn because that was going to be another quick turnaround," Bott said.

"We decided to get him right, give him a good break and focus on the backend of the autumn and mainly the winter with him.

"I think that call has done him the world of good."

Goldman appeared back to his best when resuming with a game second to two-time Group 1 winner Huetor in the JRA Plate (2000m) last month on a wet track.

He will strike similar conditions at Gosford, which was rated a heavy 10 on Thursday, while the tight-turning circuit should also suit his on-speed racing style.

Waterhouse and Bott are keen to take the promising stayer to Queensland where the Doomben and Brisbane Cups, along with the Q22, are all potential targets, although how deep he progresses into the winter will hinge on his form.

"How far do we want to go through the winter? Do we potentially want to aim up at the spring again?" Bott said.

"If we do, we've probably got to measure what we do.

"He is in good shape and he's exactly where we want him. We've just got to take him through his classes and go through the right races with him and look after him."

Geelong Cup placegetter Sir Lucan tackles the Gosford Cup second-up after finishing midfield on resumption over 1800m, and Bott says the rain-affected track and distance rise will be in his favour.

"He'll enjoy it, and he'll improve off that first-up run," Bott said.

"He may stick through the winter Cups races (in Sydney). If he continues to improve sharply, Queensland has been left open, but he has to prove himself here first to go up there."

With Unspoken scratched to run at the Sunshine Coast, a field of 14 will line up in the Gosford Cup, including last year's winner Esti Feny who is coming off a surprise last start victory in the Mornington Cup.


Racing and Sports

Gosford

Saturday, 11th May 2024

6
14:10
(local)

*BIG DANCE ELIGIBILITY* BUTERIN L'ESTRANGE GOSFORD GOLD CUP (LR)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 53.0kg Type: Qlty Fastest Time: 2:09.12 Sky Out 13 Jul 2023 3yo+ CL1(SW) SOT:G
AUD $300,000
2100m TURF HEAVY 10
6
14:10
(local)
AUD $300,000
2100m HEAVY 10

*BIG DANCE ELIGIBILITY* BUTERIN L'ESTRANGE GOSFORD GOLD CUP (LR)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 53.0kg Type: Qlty Fastest Time: 2:09.12 Sky Out 13 Jul 2023 3yo+ CL1(SW) SOT:G
Tab
Form
Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
BP
Trainer
WT
1
1x808
UNSPOKEN (IRE) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - SILENT SECRET (IRE)

5
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
58.5kg

Sales Information

2
8111x
NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) 5yo G
DARTMOUTH (GB) - SEQUENCE (IRE)
TOM SHERRY
13
ANNABEL NEASHAM
58kg

Sales Information

3
4x274
BOIS D'ARGENT (GB) 7yo G
TORONADO (IRE) - MADONNA LILY (IRE)
TYLER SCHILLER
11
ANNABEL NEASHAM
57.5kg

Sales Information

4
600x2
GOLDMAN (NZ) 5yo G
VERDI (NZ) - GOLDSMITH (NZ)
REGAN BAYLISS
1
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
57kg
5
0x065
FUTURE HISTORY (GB) 6yo G
SHOWCASING (GB) - LIKELIHOOD (USA)
JOSH PARR
7
CIARON MAHER
56.5kg

Sales Information

6
42274
MANKAYAN (IRE) 8yo G
INTELLO (GER) - ANGELIC NOTE (IRE)
SAM CLIPPERTON
12
CIARON MAHER
55kg

Sales Information

7
037x7
SIR LUCAN (IRE) 6yo G
CAMELOT (GB) - SPARROW (IRE)
RACHEL KING
14
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
55kg
8
x0381
ESTI FENY (HUN) 9yo G
PIGEON CATCHER (IRE) - EJTIHAAD (IRE)
JAY FORD
10
MATTHEW SMITH
54.5kg
9
0x953
HEZASHOCKA (NZ) 6yo G
SHOCKING (AUS) - SHEZAKIWI (NZ)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
6
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
54kg

Sales Information

10
60x84
NOT USUAL GLORIOUS (AUS) 7yo G
FIORENTE (IRE) - TEMPER TANTRUM (AUS)
NEIL FARLEY
5
TRAVIS DOUDLE
54kg

Sales Information

11
3x049
GAN TEORAINN (IRE) 4yo M
SAXON WARRIOR (JPN) - DANCE TROUPE (GB)
JEFF PENZA
2
CHRIS WALLER
54kg

Sales Information

12
x0138
DOUBLE CHERRY (IRE) 5yo G
MAKE BELIEVE (GB) - MY UPTOWN GIRL (GB)
REECE JONES
9
ANNABEL NEASHAM
54kg

Sales Information

13
96025
COMMANDER BELL (AUS) 8yo G
PIERRO (AUS) - HI BELLE (AUS)
BEN LOOKER
4
BRETT PARTELLE
54kg

Sales Information

14
9x799
VERONA (NZ) 5yo M
BELARDO (IRE) - SPAMALOT (NZ)
DYLAN GIBBONS
3
CIARON MAHER
53kg

Sales Information

15
68x53
CAMAGUEY (AUS) 5yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - MATERNAL (AUS)
ZAC LLOYD
8
KIM WAUGH
53kg

Sales Information

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