An extended first campaign in Australia might have brought about the undoing of one-time Melbourne Cup fancy Goldman in the spring, but the measures taken to rectify that are set to pay immediate dividends.
The five-year-old is a solid $3 favourite for Saturday’s Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) as he searches for his first win since defeating subsequent Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe in the 2023 Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington.
It was the culmination of a barnstorming start to the former New Zealander’s Australian career during which time he won his first three runs by a combined total of over 13 lengths.
However, when he failed to fire in four spring appearances, trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott sent him for a lengthy spell and started again.
“In hindsight, that (first) preparation just had us on the back foot and with that, we elected to skip the autumn because that was going to be another quick turnaround,” Bott said.
“We decided to get him right, give him a good break and focus on the backend of the autumn and mainly the winter with him.
“I think that call has done him the world of good.”
Goldman appeared back to his best when resuming with a game second to two-time Group 1 winner Huetor in the JRA Plate (2000m) last month on a wet track.
He will strike similar conditions at Gosford, which was rated a heavy 10 on Thursday, while the tight-turning circuit should also suit his on-speed racing style.
Waterhouse and Bott are keen to take the promising stayer to Queensland where the Doomben and Brisbane Cups, along with the Q22, are all potential targets, although how deep he progresses into the winter will hinge on his form.
“How far do we want to go through the winter? Do we potentially want to aim up at the spring again?” Bott said.
“If we do, we’ve probably got to measure what we do.
“He is in good shape and he’s exactly where we want him. We’ve just got to take him through his classes and go through the right races with him and look after him.”
Geelong Cup placegetter Sir Lucan tackles the Gosford Cup second-up after finishing midfield on resumption over 1800m, and Bott says the rain-affected track and distance rise will be in his favour.
“He’ll enjoy it, and he’ll improve off that first-up run,” Bott said.
“He may stick through the winter Cups races (in Sydney). If he continues to improve sharply, Queensland has been left open, but he has to prove himself here first to go up there.”
With Unspoken scratched to run at the Sunshine Coast, a field of 14 will line up in the Gosford Cup, including last year’s winner Esti Feny who is coming off a surprise last start victory in the Mornington Cup.
