Trainer David Vandyke is confident that Arabian Gold will be cleared to take her place in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field after she worked strongly on the course proper at Warwick Farm this morning.
Arabian Gold is sure to relish the wet Royal Randwick track if she is passed fit to contest the Doncaster Mile this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Vandyke informed Racing New South Wales stewards on Monday that Arabian Gold was lame in her offside leg due to a corn in her foot, but the veteran trainer said that the issue had improved significantly in the last 24 hours.
The Warwick Farm-based trainer said that Arabian Gold had got through her trackwork this morning with no issues and Vandyke told Sky Racing HQ that he believes that Racing NSW Senior Official Veterinarian Dr Craig Suann will clear the Dubawi mare to contest the 2015 Doncaster Mile.
“She had a gallop on the course proper here and I was very happy with her work,” Vandyke said.
“Her track rider Josh Evans was coming off the track and he felt that she was perfect and from where I was sitting I can reiterate that.
“She came back and was walking fine, we put her foot in a bucket of ice when we got back to the stable and wrapped it up again.
“Craig Sueson is coming out mid-morning and he is going to have a look at her and that will give everyone a further update, but at this stage I am getting more and more confident that we are going to get there on Saturday.
“There is nothing that has burst out from that area of the foot and she still has a slight pulse going to her hoof, which can signify their being some unnatural activity in that area, but that pulse is less than what it was yesterday.
“We are headed in the right direction and the important thing was that she got through this gallop this morning.
“This afternoon will give us a bit more of a clue because she would have cooled down and the next couple of days she has a fairly easy time, so whatever she is like this afternoon I can only see further improvement from then until Saturday.”
Arabian Gold started her autumn campaign with a slightly flat effort in the Group 3 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on February 28, but she produced a much better performance to storm home late and finished sixth in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14.
Vandyke said that he has been happy with the form of Arabian Gold heading into the Doncaster Mile and he believes that a wet Royal Randwick track will give her the best possible chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level this weekend.
“She worked this morning on what would have been a soft eight and she just glided through it,” Vandyke said.
“She really is an exciting mare in soft going and she relishes it.
“I know they aren’t predicting too much rain today, but the rest of the week should be in her favor.”
Arabian Gold is currently available at 2015 Doncaster Mile odds of $21, while Hallowed Crown ($6) remains a narrow favourite from Kermadec ($7) and Pornichet ($8).
