Bad And Boujee, Hank The Hustler star in Gold Cup heats
Three heats of the Group 3 Gold Cup series were conducted at Albion Park on Thursday night over the 710m, with time honours shared as heat two outsider Bad And Boujee for Paul McIlveen and Hank The Hustler for Jeff Britton both clocked a time of 42.08.
Opening heat winner Knicks Bale continued her brilliant run of form, posting 42.18 as she recorded her third-straight win. After being forced wide approaching the first turn, Samantha Grenfell's chaser shot to the lead in the home straight on the opening lap to score by 2.25 lengths over Eye Catching. It was also a new personal-best time over the 710m journey for the daughter of Kinda Cruel Red and Dyna Willow.
Queensland local hope Bad And Boujee caused an upset in heat two, taking the lead over race favourite Gypsy Wyong in the home straight to race away by 1.5 lengths in 42.08. It was her second consecutive victory, having won three of her past four starts, and she also set a new PB in the process.
The final heat was won by pre-race favourite Hank The Hustler, who took the lead from Barsandi entering the back straight and fought off a late challenge from a gallant We The People to score by 1.5 lengths in 42.08. It's another feature final for the talented son of Fernando Bale after finishing second in last week's Group 2 Summer Plate final at Wentworth Park.
Group 3 Gold Cup final box draw
Albion Park (710m) – Thursday, February 3, 2022
- Eye Catching – Justin Bowe
- We The People – Selena Zammit
- Knicks Bale – Samantha Grenfell
- Bad And Boujee – Paul McIlveen
- Hank The Hustler – Jeff Britton
- Days Of Thunder – Warren Nicholls
- Gypsy Wyong – Andrea Dailly
- Mick's Recall – Jamie Hosking
- Oxley Surround – Darren Johnstone
- Barsandi – David Richardson