Arabian Gold No Certainty To Contest Doncaster Mile

Arabian Gold was included in the 2015 Doncaster Mile that was released this morning, but the talented mare is still no certainty to contest the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Arabian Gold will need to come through a trackwork gallop tomorrow morning in order to be cleared to contest the 2015 Doncaster Mile this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Arabian Gold will need to come through a trackwork gallop tomorrow morning in order to be cleared to contest the 2015 Doncaster Mile this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Trainer David Vandyke informed Racing New South Wales officials yesterday that Arabian Gold was found to be lame in her offside leg due to a corn in her foot yesterday and a vet had removed the mares shoe and applied a poultice.

Vandyke still elected to include Arabian Gold in the entries for the Doncaster Mile, but Racing New South Wales revealed in a press release this afternoon that the daughter of Dubawi would be assessed by Racing NSW Senior Official Veterinarian Dr Craig Suann after she completes trackwork tomorrow morning in order to be cleared to contest the Group 1 event.

“Trainer David Vandyke today reported to Racing NSW Stewards that Arabian Gold had responded well to treatment after being found to be lame in the off-fore leg, due to a corn in that foot,” the Racing New South Wales statement said.

“Mr Vandyke advised that Arabian Gold is due to gallop tomorrow morning at Warwick Farm and will be re-examined subsequent to that work.

“Racing NSW Senior Official Veterinarian Dr Craig Suann will examine the mare mid-morning tomorrow and a further release shall be made.”

Arabian Gold was given a lengthy stint in the spelling paddock after she failed to fire in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and she returned to racing with a slightly disappointing eighth place finish in the Group 3 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on February 28.

The four-year-old received very little support in betting in the lead-up to the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14 and she was settled at the tail of the field before she absolutely stormed home late to finish sixth, less than a length behind Plucky Belle.

Young hoop Chad Schofield has been booked to ride Arabian Gold in the Doncaster Mile and he will be riding in the race for just the second time after he finished 16th on Lidari in the 2014 edition of the race.

Arabian Gold is currently available at 2015 Doncaster Mile odds of $21 with Ladbrokes, while Hallowed Crown ($5.50) is a narrow favourite from Kermadec ($6.50), Real Impact ($7), Pornichet ($8.50), Royal Descent ($10) and Sweynesse ($11).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.