GOLDEN Legacy carved out a new class record when the Tamworth gelding sizzled to a dominating win in Saturday’s $20,000 XXXX Gold Jingle Bells Maiden Plate (1000m) at the picturesque Riverside Racecourse, Gunnedah.
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The Mark Mason-trained gelding was having just his third race start after placings at Tamworth and Gunnedah and impressed all with his flashing win in 56.88 seconds.
“He’s a nice horse,” jockey Ben Looker said as he cruised to a four and half length win from Kenneth with Bushie’s Crumpet a head away third.
“Put paid to them pretty quick. I couldn’t wait any longer and he showed a real nice turn of foot.”
Mark Mason said Looker’s ride was perfect, camping in behind the leaders before Looker extracted him three wide to make his winning run.
The turn of foot then kicked in.
“Ben gave him the run of the race,” Mason said.
“He always looked the winner.”
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It was a welcome respite for Mason.
Golden Legacy had hovered between odds-on and even money favouritism.
“My last five runners have all started odds-on favourite. The other four all got beat. The boss [chief steward Shane Cullen who was hovering nearby] told me I’d better win otherwise I’d be going for a holiday,” Mason joked.
Cullen heard the chatter and gave him an affirming nod and grin.
Mason said Golden Legacy’s next run might be at Tamworth in the new year.
And while Mason claimed the first win of the day, it was Gunnedah trainer Gavin Groth who picked up the last.
About Time arrived just in time to give Groth a Christmas ham and some local promotion when the seven-year-old gelding won the $20,000 Power Control and Communications Santa’s Sprint Benchmark 65 Handicap (1300m).
Groth was confident his son of Danehill Express could win the Santa’s Sprint and provide plenty of Christmas cheer.
“We set him for this,” Groth said after About Time had blasted home in the final 200 metres to beat Rod Northam’s Hooge by half a length with the George Woodward-trained Loud Enough a close up third.
“He goes well first up but I don’t think I’ve had him any better. He’d been working very well. I was pretty confident. Ken [Dunbar] rode him well, it just panned out well.”
Winning at his home track is always a bonus for Groth but winning at this particular meeting with such a large crowd – more than 3000 – on track was even better.
Dunbar thought About Time was enormous even though he was “squeezed out” at one stage and lost some ground.
“He got into a nice rhythm,” Dunbar told Groth.
“I just had to wait, wait and wait.”
When he unleashed, the gelding responded strongly and hit the line better than anything else in the race.
WINNERS
XXXX GOLD JINGLE BELLS MAIDEN PLATE (1000 METRES)
TAB.COM.AU - HAVE A QUADDIE AT GUNNEDAH MAIDEN PLATE (1000 METRES)
SHENHUA WATERMARK COAL - DRIVE SAFELY TOWARDS ZERO MAIDEN HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
GUNNEDAH TAXI & CABS - MERRY CHRISTMAS CLASS 1 HANDICAP (- 0.5KG) (1000 METRES)
MPC EARTHMOVING & HEAVY HAULAGE - REINDEER'S DASH BM 50 HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
REDIGUARD.COM.AU - BECOME A GJC MEMBER TODAY CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
MANNION DRILLING/ULTRAFLEET - CHRISTMAS HAMS CUP - BENCHMARK 65 HCP (1600 METRES)
POWER CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS - SANTA'S SPRINT BM 65 HANDICAP (1300 METRES)