After failing a veterinary examination that ruled him out of the Cox Plate, Gold Trip has been passed fit to start in the Rosehill Gold Cup and that is music to the ears of jockey Tim Clark.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained import was sensationally scratched from last weekend’s weight-for-age championship when Racing Victoria vets deemed him to be lame.
The horse travelled to Sydney this week and after completing light work at Warwick Farm on Thursday, Racing NSW’s vets have cleared him to make his Australian debut in Saturday’s $750,000 race.
Like racegoers, Clark will lay eyes on Gold Trip for the first time on Saturday, but he says if the horse races up to his European form – which includes a fourth in the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – he will be tough to roll.
“He’s got extremely good overseas form. It’s proper form,” Clark said.
“He’s been in the headlines a bit missing out on the Cox Plate but if Ciaron and David are sending him up they’re obviously happy with him.
“If he runs up to his best form, he is going to be hard to beat in a race like that.”
Given Gold Trip has no exposed runs in Australia and Clark won’t get to see him in the flesh until race day, the hoop will prepare for the ride by watching the horse’s overseas race replays.
He will also rely on the advice and feedback from the stable, although he admits they will still be feeling their way too.
“I’ll be guided mainly by the stable, but I guess even then, they’re still learning about him as well,” Clark said.
“It’s all a bit of a learning curve with him, but he’s a top-quality horse and it’s just a matter of him turning up in the right sort of form and if he does that, he’s a great chance.”
Gold Trip is on the second line of TAB fixed odds markets at $4, behind $2.80 favourite Think It Over who has been the form middle-distance horse in Sydney this spring.
As the winner of the Craven Plate, Think It Over will trigger a $1 million bonus if he can add the Rosehill Gold Cup to his resume.
