After taking out the Ipswich Cup as a $40 outsider last start, Bryan Guy’s Gold Coast-based mare Anagold will now travel up to the Sunshine Coast this Saturday for the $200,00 Listed Yalumba Caloundra Cup (2400m).
Ipswich Cup winner Anagold backs up in Saturday's Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast.
Seeking the same double the Michael Moroney-trained Shenzhou Steeds achieved last Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, Anabaa four-year-old Anagold is one of 25 stayers nominated for this weekend’s Caloundra Cup.
Anagold has been a hit and miss racehorse for connections not breaking her maiden status until her 10th career start in January last year.
Doing her best racing over 1800m and further she improved on her four disappointing runs from earlier in the season when she went to Ipswich on June 15 and beat a better fancied field in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) run on a Slow (7).
It was her third win from as many starts at the track having won by two and two and a half lengths respectively over the same distance during the autumn last year and further stamped her trainer Guy, who admitted to being a little surprised by the victory, as a country cups’ king.
“Janette Johnson rode her on the Tuesday and was glowing when she came back,” he said.
“Nine out of 10 times, luck in running plays a part in the outcome of big races. Look at Linton in the Stradbroke.
“(Jockey) Tony (Pattillo) had the same thing happen at Ipswich, and hopefully we can get more this week.”
The plan is now to back up in the Caloundra Cup at Corbould Park where Anagold will be seeing the track for the first time since her distant seventh over the 1400m there at just her third career start in May of 2011.
Her lead-up form for it is very good too further postmarked when Ipswich Cup eighth placed Rialya backed up last Saturday to beat home the likes of Shenzhou Steeds (2nd) and Rothera (3rd) to win the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm.
It’s shaping up as at top edition of the feature Sunshine Coast showdown this weekend too with other notable Caloundra Cup chances including the defending champion Shenzhou Steeds, emphatic Stayers Cup winner Peal Of Bells, as well as two horses that finished second and third behind Anagold at Ipswich with High Kin and Za Magic.
Should all go to plan Guy will keep Anagold, who was saved from the Brisbane majors this winter in favour of the provincial cups, in work for the $150,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 11, 2013.
