The first Group race of 2022 will be run and won at Gosford on Tuesday night when eight high-class starters vie for the $40,000 Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup.
Defending champion – Wow - will start favourite for the event, with fellow free-for-all stars Impress Shades, Zipping Kyrgios and Aston Shine all attempting to claim the first NSW Group race of the New Year.
We tracked down the trainers in the lead up to the big one – with their ‘Kennel Clues’ about each runner found below.
Aston Shine | Graeme Jose | Box 1
Career 56: 13-6-7 | Box 1 History 7: 2-2-2 | Track & Dist 2: 1-0-0 | Best Time 29.37 | Price $11
He had a blow out up my straight a couple of days ago and went really well. You couldn’t get a better draw (Box 1) for this kind of dog. He finds another leg when he draws the red. I didn’t think he’d run that quick in the heat as he hadn’t been to Gosford for 12 months. He’s been leading some top dogs over 650m down in Victoria but wasn’t able to put them away so we targeted Gosford and the step back in trip. I think he’ll improve at least two lengths from the heat with even luck but he’ll need to be leading or just off the pace to win. He’s the pick of my two dogs.
Career 88: 34-18-10 | Box 2 History 15: 7-6-1 | Track & Dist 7: 2-3-0 | Best Time 29.48 | Price $15
We’ve just moved to Grafton so he’s in his new kennels up here and he’s been loving it. He’s been walking around the horse track and really enjoying himself. He used to free gallop and wouldn’t leave the yard much at Doyalson but this has been a real breath of fresh air for him so far so hopefully that equals a big run. We will travel down on race day but he’s good traveller so no trouble there. The draw suits him down to the ground. He ran in the G1 heats of the Harrison Dawson at Sandown and beat Lots Of Chatter so I think we can lead or be on Aston Shine’s tail at the first corner. Obviously Wow and Zipping Kyrgios are stars but I’m hoping mine will be in front of those two through the catching pen. I think he’s realistically a good place chance.
Lots Of Chatter | Graeme Jose | Box 3
Career 92: 33-19-11 | Box 3 History 15: 6-1-1 |Track & Dist 2: 1-0-0 | Best Time 29.37 | Price $6.50
Virtually had the same week as the kennel mate [Aston Shine] except he went a length and a bit quicker up the straight during the week. He prefers drawing inside so really rapt with the box draw and he’ll be a genuine improver as well. He loves the fence so he’ll try and go underneath dogs rather than around if he has to. Missed the start in the heats I think due to an issue back in Victoria last start. The boxes half opened at Cranbourne and he hit his head at the start so I think that spooked him a bit before the Gosford heat and that’s why he missed it. Vamos Penny and Wow are the biggest dangers in my opinion.
Career 39: 13-5-4 | Box 4 History 1: 0-0-0 | Track & Dist 6: 3-1-2 | Best Time 29.47 | Price $21
We’ve had a couple of gallops on the straight and she’s pulled up really well from the heats. Her only hope in the race is to be in front at the first turn and hope the rest jam behind her. I don’t mind her being in Box 4 with Wow next to her as I think Wow will go straight and perhaps run cover for her. If she can begin she’s got pace - but ultimately the others in that race can outrun her. I think Wow is the biggest danger and I know Zipping Kyrgios is fast but it’s tougher on the outside. I think Minnie [Finn will] have him ready to go so I wouldn’t count him out. I think the two Victorian’s [Aston Shine and Lots Of Chatter] are decent chances as well.
Wow | Danielle Matic | Box 5
Career 47: 28-12-1 | Box 5 History 5: 3-1-0 | Track & Dist 3: 3-0-0 | Best Time 28.88 | Price $2.25
It’s not too bad a box draw and he broke the track record at Gosford from Box 5. Hopefully he gets a clear run and Zipping Kyrgios isn’t too close behind. Wow should be stronger this week because the Christmas Gift [on December 18] was his first 500m+ run since the Top Gun in early November, so he’s still on the way back up. I imagine the Victorians will improve after having the first run at the track last week. Zipping Kyrgios is such a good dog but I think Impress Shades in Box 7 is a wide runner which won’t help him. Wow is the track record holder, he’s the defending champion so it’s his to lose in that respect but he needs to come out cleanly and have a bit of luck.
Career 30: 5-3-4 | Box 6 History 2: 0-0-0 | Track & Dist 3: 2-1-0 | Best Time 29.48 | Price $46
First Group final for us and we’ll need a bit of luck. It’s a hard race. Wow is the one to beat but they all have so much speed. I’d love to see her jump in front but she lacks the early speed of some of the other dogs. I’ve freshened her up this week so hopefully that will help. A place would be great, winning would be a dream.
Impress Shades | Kennel Rep April Mackay | Box 7
Career 36: 13-6-7 | Box 7 History 4: 1-2-1 |Track & Dist 2: 1-1-0 | Best Time 29.31 | Price $13
He’s well boxed in 7 as he wants to be wide. Our hopes aren’t high but he actually has a better chance drawn out there tonight. The two Victorians are big hopes but I don’t like the fact they’ve travelled up and back home again and are driving up again today. Zipping Kyrgios shouldn’t crash into us from Box 8 and we’re hopeful You Know Tree in Box 6 might run interference with Wow to give us a good run through. Wow is the one to beat though. Our boy should run a drum.
Zipping Kyrgios | Minnie Finn | Box 8
Career 47: 23-9-6 | Box 8 History 8: 2-2-2 | Track & Dist 1: 1-0-0 | Best Time 29.16 | Price $2.40
We’ve had a normal week preparing, he free galloped at home and is in good order. He’s going to have to come out from Box 8 and get across them to lead if he is to win. He went super in the heats but it’s tough when you draw out wide in finals. He drew Box 8 in the Brother Fox at Dubbo and couldn’t get across. He drew Box 6 in the Dapto Megastar and had the same result. I think $2.40 is too short for him drawn in Box 8. You’d think Wow will be leading and if he leads nothing will run him down. You can’t run a dog like Wow down if he’s running 29.1 up front so he’s the dog to beat.
The feature race isn’t the only exciting action on the 11-race card tonight, with the Gosford Gold Cup Consolation race also being run over the 515m trip. Ties That Bind, Sound Of Silence and Analysing are going head-to-head in a race worthy of a final.
We tracked down the trainers in the lead up to the consolation – with their ‘Kennel Clues’ about each runner found below.
Ties That Bind | Frank Hurst | Box 1
Career 8: 6-0-2 | Box 1 History 2: 1-0-1 | Track & Dist 1: 0-0-1| Best Time 29.53 | Price $3.20
She’s very well boxed. It’s a big ask for her but she’s got ability. We want to see how good she is so we keep throwing her in these big races. She hasn’t had a lot of luck at the box draw in big races so far but she’s in a perfect spot this time. She needed Box 1 to be a chance and if she leads, I think she’ll win.
Our Mechanic | David Lewis | Box 2
Career 9: 6-1-0 | Box 2 History 0: 0-0-0 | Track & Dist 3: 2-0-0 | Best Time 29.50 | Price $9.50
I thought it was a champion run in the heats considering he was nearly knocked off his feet. Box 2 is a good start and he likes the inside. He’s not the best jumper in the world but we’ve done a bit of work on that this week. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he seems to explode and we haven’t even seen his full potential yet. I think Ties That Bind will drag him along and into the race. He’s run 21.96 over the 388m before so he’s definitely got something.
Ritza William | Mark Davidson | Box 3
Career 45: 17-7-6 | Box 3 History 7: 1-3-1 |Track & Dist 2: 0-0-2 | Best Time 29.60 | Price $26
Boxed where he wants to be but there’s a lot of speed going into that first turn. If he was drawn closer to the rail he’d be trying to drive through but it’ll be tougher from Box 3. I think his best chance is if the leaders find some trouble and he slides through. He ran a PB last week in the heat so he’ll need a bit of a break and to hang on if he’s to win this. I’d be looking at that outside three for the winner – Zipping Maserati, Mr Ticket and Analysing.
Chase Me Honey | Michael Hardman | Box 4
Career 31: 11-8-0 | Box 4 History 4: 0-1-0 | Track & Dist 2: 0-1-0 | Best Time 29.41 | Price $8
I thought the run in the heats was good considering she missed the start and got spat out the back. She hit the line well and her last few runs have been good but she’ll need luck from Box 4. She might be fifth or sixth going into the first turn and rely on a gap opening up. I think Sound of Silence is the one to beat. He’s a good race dog, he can win from any position. Chase Me Honey would be the better chance of my two [also has Analysing in Box 8] if all things were equal.
Sound Of Silence | Frank Hurst | Box 5
Career 55: 22-15-7 | Box 5 History 5: 2-3-0 | Track & Dist 1: 0-0-1 | Best Time 29.53 | Price $4.20
He can handle the middle draw and with a bit of luck he can be in the finish. He ran second in the Dapto Megastar Final and then had some bad luck in the heats of this otherwise he’d be a big chance in the final. He’s won a few races over distance from Box 5 but it’s not as easy in these shorter races. We like him, he goes good and he always tries hard.
Zipping Maserati | Kennel Rep April Mackay | Box 6
Career 17: 10-3-2 | Box 6 History 4: 1-1-1 | Track & Dist 1: 0-0-1 | Best Time 29.52 | Price $4.20
Obviously last week was a big jump in grade but he did a great job to hang onto Wow and Fire Legend pretty well. Box 6 won’t bother him. If he wants to come out he’ll be a big player. If he doesn’t come out, we’ll have some dramas. He’s a different dog when he’s in front compared to if he has to come from behind. I think Sound Of Silence is a big hope. He could tag onto the back of our boy and if he does we could be in trouble.
Mr Ticket | Darryl Thomas | Box 7
Career 42: 11-11-15 | Box 7 History 5: 1-1-2 | Track & Dist 1: 0-0-1 | Best Time 29.53 | Price $11
Happy with the draw as he wants to be in the centre of the track but he hasn’t come out the best the last few runs so his box manners need to improve. I think the field is boxed upside down a bit. There’s not much pace in Boxes 4 [Chase Me Honey], 5 [Sound Of Silence] or 6 [Zipping Maserati]. The dogs in Box 1 [Ties That Bind] and 2 [Our Mechanic] seem to want to run out. There could be a bit of carnage at the first turn if you look at the shape of the race on paper. Sound of Silence and Ties That Bind hold the key to the race. This is Mr Ticket’s last run for our camp and then he’s off to Adelaide next week so hopefully we send him out a winner.
Analysing | Michael Hardman | Box 8
Career 23: 8-3-2 | Box 8 History 6: 2-1-0 | Track & Dist 2: 1-0-0 | Best Time 29.28 | Price $6
I watched all the heats last week and it’s tough to get across from the outside at Gosford so she needs to jump well to win. I think she can run 29.2 but she hasn’t been jumping that well the last couple of starts. She got away with it against inferior opposition a few weeks back but there’s no weak dogs in this one. She’ll go to the Paws of Thunder, Bathurst Cup, Easter Egg and then off to the breeding barn so not many big races left in her. I was hoping Zulu Warlord would get a run [Zulu Warlord is the first emergency] as he’d be a moral. I think he will just win Race 2 instead.
