FOR the wonderful on-course crowd at Goulburn Paceway, Sunday’s weather may have been cool - but the racing was simply hot.
The newly reconstructed course sizzled with record times and close finishes. In the main race of the day, the $30,000 Divalls Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage Frank and Edna Day Goulburn Cup, the Luke McCarthy-trained Mach Wiper started the public elect at $2.60 with Neil Day’s Magic Operative the second favourite.
The moves were on from the get-go as McCarthy’s other runner Roman Stride worked to the front momentarily before Mach Wiper pushed through to lead at the winning post.
Fox Valley Appeal then surged forward strongly to wrest the lead as they entered the back straight before Mach Wiper again worked forward to resume the leading role as the field left the back straight on the first occasion.
The favourite then ran the field along until reaching the back straight on the last occasion where Ohoka Dallas made a lightning move to hit the front at the 500m mark. However, the run was short lived as Mach Wiper kicked back strongly to lead into the straight.
With the remainder of the field struggling to keep up it was left to the stablemate Roman Stride to run on strongly, finishing a half neck second, with Tori Jack finishing third, a further 18m behind the winner.
In a stop-start affair, Mach Wiper recorded the second fastest time for the distance when he returned a mile rate of 1:56.6; the record being held by McCarthy’s grand circuit horse Washakie which won last year’s Goulburn Cup. Meantime, the lead up racing provided spectators with a prelude of what was to come.
Lady Lauriane in race 1, the $6,500 Concrete 4 Goulburn Pace followed by Heres Rommel in the $6500 Big Merino Shell Pace both recorded brilliant 1:58.3 mile rate wins. Race 3, the $7000 Goulburn Sand and Soil Pace was taken out by Luke McCarthy’s super filly Lettucereason in 1:59.4 fir the longer 2240m distance.
This was followed by Franco Torres’ 1:59.9 mile rate win in the $7000 Goulburn Party Hire Pace before the first of the feature races, the $12,000 Goulburn Mulwaree City Sprint over 1710m. Sponsored by Goulburn Mulwaree Council, the sprint was dominated in the betting ring by Luke McCarthy’s UK Connection, however following some impressive trial performances there was plenty of money for the Neil Day trained and Amy Day driven Itaintover.
With the field dispatched in the back straight, UK Connection worked up to sit outside the leader whilst Amy settled the local hope back in the field.
With the first half of the event raced in a very comfortable 59.1 it seemed like it was falling into place for the very short priced favourite who surged to the front leaving the back straight, however the crowd sensed an upset as Amy eased Itaintover to the outside as she made her move approaching the 250m mark.
On straightening for the run home UK Connection pinched a length break from Genuwine, but was quickly collared by Itaintover who raced to the front before setting a new track record win in 1:55.2 In the second feature, the $18,000 Goulburn Soldiers Club Goulburn Rose, Eloquent Babe provided Luke McCarthy with his second win of the day.
Commencing from the outside of the front row the mare put up a tough performance by working around the field three wide and then sitting outside the leader throughout the race. The 5yo Artsplace mare went on to score narrowly from Russian Ball and Western Destroyer in a mile rate of 2:01.1, ironically the slowest time of the day.
Preparations are now commencing for next year’s Goulburn Cup where the committee is striving to make it bigger and better yet again.
The success of Sunday’s race day could not have been achieved without the help of the club’s many generous sponsors, namely Divalls Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage, Concrete 4 Goulburn, Goulburn Sand and Soils, The Goulburn Soldiers Club, The Tattersalls Hotel, Goulburn Party Hire, The Big Merino Shell and the Day Family.
Leading trainers and drivers were full of praise for the track. The State’s number one trainer Luke McCarthy described it as equal to anything he has driven on, and freelance driver Josh Willick stated, “One word, brilliant, simply brilliant”.
Email a friend