Gosford Gold Cup Fit For Size
Again with the big occasion timing of Bart Cummings, veteran maestro Reg Kay, the 2008 Australian Trainer of the Year, annexed yet another Group final, this time the Group 2 Woy Woy Poultry Gold Cup at Gosford, with emerging star Elite Blue Size.
In a race of hard luck stories, Reg, a lottery winner from way back, enjoyed the rails draw and all the favours possible as Elite Blue Size ($5.50) rallied when favourites Take The Kitty ($2.70) and Lochinvar Marlow ($3.60) brought each other undone as they looked to have the measure of the winner.
But it was all honours to Reg who trained a winning treble on the night. However in the Cup final, Lochinvar Marlow, who had lengths on the final field with his spectacular 29.72 heat win, was the chief sufferer.
As always the box draw was the overwhelming factor as the Smith and Gordon star had box four and Elite Blue Size the precious rails in both his heat and final with Take The Kitty box three. After the top turn collision by the favourites, Elite Blue Size took out the $30,000 first prize by just under a length from Lochinvar Marlow with Take The Kitty a length and a half away in third place.
Significantly the final was won in 30.04 in the lead by Elite Blue Size after Lochinvar Marlowâs 29.72 heat win last week. The Cup consolation was won in 29.71 by Doreen Drynanâs veteran marvel Mandingo. If Lochinvar Marlowâs heat time was dominant, simply the box draw and interference was the leveler and brought him undone. Take The Kitty after missing the start, surged late and “collectedâ Lochinvar Marlow on the top turn as he was pressuring Elite Blue Size.
âIt was a high pressure race and it worked both ways, swap the boxes and Lochinvar Marlow wins,â Reg said candidly, after finishing the night with a winning treble.
âI did say that I thought Take The Kitty was finishing so fast I thought heâd go clear and into the car park but he ran into Lochinvar Marlow.
âBut thatâs racing we drew and led, so you make your own luck as well. âLochinvar Marlow did drag my bloke from behind in the back and Jason Mackay said to me after with a 16.92 section you donât get beat,â Kay added.
âInterference is part and parcel of big finals because thereâs so little between them and the good draw can be everything.
âBut youâve still got to use it, he did that and I was wrapped that for a young dog he held it together when they were coming from everywhere.
âIt was probably a 29.80 or better run without the interference.
âAnyway he was unlucky in the St Leger so now itâs onto the National Derby at The Gardens in a couple of weeks.â
Prior to Elite Blue Sizeâs failure in the St Leger won by outsider St Pierre, the Elite State x Size Em Up prospect had won six races in succession at The Gardens and Maitland. Lochinvar Marlow, also desperately unlucky in the St Leger, lost no admirers on Tuesday night.
So the highly popular and generous training partners Reg and Julie Edmondson continue to rebuild after the unprecedented success in the past two years with four Group One winners in retired National champion Knocka Norris, Made to Size, Size Can Matter and Elite Oriental.
Meanwhile in supporting features, Forty Twenty demolished moderate opposition in a staying race in a lead up the Association Cup heats at Wentworth Park on Saturday night while Mandingo took out the Cup consolation by a big margin in fast time.
After the placings the field finished in the following order 4th Bogie Brave ($6.00), 5th Super Laurie ($13.00), 6th Watch Out Pete ($13.00) 7th Galba Jack ($6.00) and La Voca ($31.00).
Elite Blue Size is raced by Julie Edmondson and trained by Reg Kay he is a Blue dog whelped February 2008 by Elite State from Size ‘Em Up (Shape Shifter x Queen Size). Elite Blue Size has won 10 of his 14 starts and has been placed on two occasions and his current stake earnings stand at $42,550.
The greyhound industry is fortunate to have such a generous sponsor as greyhound lover, owner and trainer Laurie Refalo, the owner of Woy Woy Poultry Supplies. Not only does his company Woy Woy Poultry Supplies sponsor The Gosford Cup ($30,000 to the winner) but also the Gardens Young Guns ($10,000 to the winner).
The Gosford Cup became the clubs feature race for the year when they changed their surface to loam in 2003. At the same time a circuit of NSW Country Cups was started. It was a Group three race worth $10,000 to the winner to start with and has risen in status and profile to Group two in 2006 and again was worth $25,000 to the winner.
Loyal sponsors Woy Woy Poultry Supplies has being with the race in all of its six years. Listed are the past winners.
Gosford Gold Cup Honour Roll
- 2003 Thai Flame
- 2004 Addis Boy
- 2005 Cheeky Sprite
- 2006 Cool Matt
- 2007 Prey For Mercy
- 2008 Suave Fella
- 2009 Miss Elly Mint
- 2010 Elite Blue Size