Arabian Gold Set For The Doomben Roses

Trainer David Vandyke has revealed that talented filly Arabian Gold will contest the Group 2 Doomben Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 17 during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

Arabian Gold will be chasing her third straight win when she contests the Doomben Roses next month.

Arabian Gold will be chasing her third straight win when she contests the Doomben Roses next month. Photo by: Steve Hart

Arabian Gold finished her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with an impressive victory over Pheidon and Malice in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday and Vandyke told TVN that he is delighted with the way that the Dubawi filly has come through the impressive performance.

“She could not be in better shape,” Vandyke said.

“She has actually amazed me in how well she has recovered and she will trial at Randwick on Friday week.

“She will then go to Queensland for the Roses at Doomben and Blake Shinn will be back on.”

Arabian Gold started her autumn preparation with a fifth place finish behind Sweet Idea in the Group 2 Light Finger Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and was slightly disappointing in both the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 and the Group 3 Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on March 23.

The talented filly clearly relished the step-up to 2000 metres and the heavy surface in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 and justified the support of punters with a comfortable win in the Frank Packer Plate.

While Vandyke could not be happier with the form of Arabian Gold, he was disappointed with the effort of Prince Cheri in a barrier trial over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm yesterday.

The imported galloper finished second behind Bill Prain-trained Jumpity, but Vandyke said that he did not see enough from the Lando entire to run him in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) this weekend.

“He went only fair; I wasn’t confident enough to progress forward to the Hawkesbury Cup this Saturday,” Vandyke said.

“I would like to see him trial again and do a little bit more.

“He had a back problem and it has improved significantly and now we have just got to get that spring in his step again.”

Prince Cheri stamped himself as a stayer to watch during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival with a win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 14, but has failed to fire in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 and the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 this preparation.

About The Author

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.