A devastated Denice Warren has revealed track record-holder Gold Force will be scratched from Friday night's Group 2 East Maitland Bowling Club Maitland Gold Cup Final (450m).
Gold Force had been installed favourite for the Cup after a strong-finishing 24.98 heat victory on Sunday night, but the hulking 39-kilogram son of 2017 Maitland Cup winner Aussie Infrared sustained a toe injury in the run that will force his withdrawal from the $40,000 to-the-winner decider.
“It breaks your heart,” said Goulburn-based trainer Denice Warren.
“I give up. You put your heart and soul into it and after last night I'm just thinking is it worth it?
“Just lately, I've had health problems with family members and a couple of horses have gone amiss – what else could go wrong? Bring on 2026!”
Warren has had an ongoing battle with injury throughout Gold Force's career and the Maitland Cup shaped as a ‘golden' opportunity to secure an overdue and deserved – for greyhound and trainer – feature race victory; however that wasn't to be.
“He's injured the outside front toe, so it's not a good one,” Warren said.
“When I got home at about 2:30am this morning, I did a frame-by-frame and I could see the dog come across and get him. You could see him falter."
“I originally thought I might be able to patch him up for Friday night, but when I unwrapped it and bathed it I thought this isn't good.
“I'm not going to risk him for $40,000 or $100,000. The dog's welfare comes first.
“This is the second time it's happened with Gold Force. He got knocked out in the Goulburn Cup heats too.
“Last night I was just hoping he could qualify and pull up sound, because he's had the hock injury at Wentworth Park and a tendon injury coming into the big maiden at Goulburn. And now this.
“He'll probably be out a month but he still has racing ahead of him.”
Meanwhile, time honours in the five Cup heats went to Jason Mackay's Queensland import Federal Bullet, which made it three from three at Maitland when claiming heat two, setting a new PB of 24.88.
Federal Bullet and Gold Force were the only heat winners to break 25 seconds.
The other three run-offs went to Ali Tango, prepared by Joe McFadyen, in 25.00, Jason Magri's Allan Keeping in 25.14 and Black Myth Wave, trained by Vic Sultana, in 25.17.
