Denice Warren’s campaign for a maiden Group 3 Ladbrokes Goulburn Cup triumph will commence on Friday when star sprinter Gold Force steps out in the preliminaries of the $40,000 series.
The reigning track record holder (24.06), and winner of all seven starts at Goulburn, has drawn Box 6 in Heat 2 of the 440m feature, with Warren hopeful of claiming her home track feature with the pre-series favourite.
“I haven’t won a Goulburn Cup but it’s something I’d love to do. Quoted Dynasty was a joint race favourite in the 2017 final but he was beaten by Champion Model,” Warren said.
“And Mowski Star was in the race a few years ago (2022) when Johnny Mellon’s dog won [Mellcat Big Boy]. I’d love to win any Group race with Gold Force but this one would be special.”
Warren still lamenting a horror Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase (MDC) semi-final performance for her kennel stud where he finished 9.75 lengths off Foreign Capital - a dog he meets again on Friday.
“I couldn’t help be disappointed considering he was boxed well out wide, and he was in pretty good form,” Warren said.
“He missed the kick terribly, just flopped out of the boxes and then copped checks at the first and home turns which were all his own doing. That cost him any chance of featuring in the final.”
The son of Aussie Infrared x Silver Scissors enjoying an easy week following a rough and tumble affair.
“I slipped him around Goulburn on Monday over 300m and he pulled up really well. He’s just such a big dog (39kg) so keeping an animal his size on the track is hard enough, let alone winning big races,” she admitted.
“Box 6 isn’t too bad but I haven’t had a great look at what’s around him. Irinka Brett in Box 7 led at Goulburn for a while last week before being run down and Vic’s dog [Foreign Capital] goes well.
“I honestly don’t mind too much where he’s drawn. Everyone thinks he’s a Box 8 bandit but he’s not, he goes very straight to the first corner, he just doesn’t drive out like some other dogs.”
Dual Group-race runner-up, Skedaddle Arlo, will also make the trip to Goulburn and has drawn the fence in Heat 1.
The Mark Suttle-trained runner also bowed out of the MDC in the semi-finals but has enjoyed a purple patch of form in the second half of the year.
“We’re very happy with him and he’s raced so well in a couple of big features lately,” Suttle said.
“Intrepid Bale is a deadest free for all 600m dog and ran him down in the Bidgee Cup final. Then he ran second to Eriza Sparkles in the Megastar and she came out and went 29.17 at Wenty Park so it’s handy form.”
“He's got a 42% strike rate at the moment, he’s won 18 of 42 races, he’s been taking on the best dogs in the state and is a Group 1 runner-up.”
Suttle leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of success, giving ‘Arlo’ one last hit out under race conditions on Tuesday night.
“He’s running at Bulli over the 400m because we wanted to give him a go around a U-turn track again before the heats,” he said.
“He had a few starts early in his career at Goulburn and he’s trialled at the track a few times so he should remember the place. I’m also happy we dodged Gold Force this week. I know everyone has to beat him at some stage if they want to win the Cup but I’d be happier trying to do that in a final if we can get through this week.”
Promising youngsters Zipping Xaden, Destroying and Taw Galaxy will also tackle the Cup heats on Friday, with the top two from each preliminary – as well as the two fastest thirds – advancing to the final on November 31.
Five heats of the $25,000-to-the-winner Goulburn Fireball will also be run and won on the day.
