Goldman was successful on Friday as he looks to begin a successful Melbourne Cup campaign.
With Vauban top of most overseas lists, Goldman is still the domestic favourite for the Melbourne Cup. He took a 1000-metre barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens and it’s now all systems go for November.
Excellent Results for Waterhouse & Bott
At Rosehill Gardens, Goldman was one of around a dozen horses taking part in Listed and Group-class trials.
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott enjoyed a quinella in the first proper course trial at Rosehill. Goldman led the way from Australian Derby champ Major Beel.
Kiwi import Goldman shot to the top of most Cup lists earlier in the year when slamming fellow contender Soulcombe (Chris Waller) in the Roy Higgins at Flemington. The idea this time however was for the Waterhouse & Bott team to have a proper stretch.
That plan at least has worked, with the team including Goldman looking well. With the Melbourne Cup dream alive for Scriptwriter and other overseas hopefuls, Goldman is a real leading hope for Australia.
Trainer Anabel Neasham finished behind Waterhouse & Bott with two of her runners. Elsewhere, her star Mo’unga had to be scratched at the barrier having got a hind leg caught up. Instead, her top Group 1 runner is thought to be taking in a trial next week.
Neasham’s King Frankel was given an easy time, trailing in behind, though there is a plan in place to have him go for the Metrop and then the Caulfield Cup.
Mo’unga is likely to try again for the Winx Stakes, with the King Charles on the radar also.
Goldman’s Likely Cup Route
With those trials over and done with, concentration now turns on Goldman’s path to the Melbourne Cup. There is no doubting what the end game is, but the route to be taken is still written in pencil rather than ink.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s team have a number of options open to them at this early stage. More trials are expected to take place, then the horses should be ready to get going in earnest during the early part of the spring racing calendar.
Having won the Roy Higgins, Goldman’s place in the Melbourne Cup field is assured. Owing to that, it seems most likely that he will head down the weight-for-age path. This allows him to avoid any weight penalties for the big one on November 7.
With overseas-based online bookmakers, Goldman is listed between $11 and $17. It may be the smart place to back him there as his price will tumble if he wins another high-profile event.
Vauban leads the way on those lists at a general $8, while Lunar Flare, White Marlin and Silver Sonic are also well fancied.
