Lightly raced three-year-old Golden Age has signalled his promise with a classy win at Warwick Farm
Renowned for having a sharp eye for a thoroughbred, owner Alan Bell appears to have unearthed another handy galloper in Warwick Farm winner Golden Age.
While the Hawkes Racing three-year-old has a long way to go to emulate the feats of some of Bell’s former stars, who include the great Schillaci, Grand Armee and Deep Field, he took a step in the right direction by breaking his maiden in Wednesday’s Drinkwise Plate (1400m).
Sporting Bell’s well known grey and red colours, Golden Age ($2.40 fav) made the running under apprentice Zac Lloyd and maintained his momentum to the line to defeat a gallant Oriental Tycoon ($8.50) with Kandos Cosmos ($17) third.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes says Golden Age, a son of former top filly First Seal, is still a work in progress but has the potential to progress through the grades and Hawkes is thrilled to see Bell with another smart horse.
“Alan puts a lot of money into this industry and it’s a reward for him,” Hawkes said.
“We’ve had some great ones over the years, the likes of Deep Field and those sort of horses, so hopefully we’ve got another one on our hands.”
Golden Age had finished fourth to Saturn Star over 1200m on debut last month and up in distance on Wednesday, he was able to make his own luck from in front.
“He doesn’t really know what it’s all about, he is still learning his craft obviously, but the further he gets the better he will be,” Hawkes said.
“You can’t do any more than win and he’s done that at his second start.
“Coming around the corner he wanted to get a bit wayward when Zac (Lloyd) let him go through the gears, but in saying that, you can’t begrudge what he did.
“I think he’s a good six months away from being something.”
Lloyd, who brought up his 18th metropolitan win this season aboard Golden Age, felt Team Hawkes’ decision to make a gear change was significant.
“I think the winkers off was a good call because he just relaxed that touch better, which helped him finish off the race a bit better,” Lloyd said.
By I Am Invincible, Golden Age was a $500,000 yearling but was gelded before his first start.
