LOCALLY trained Warrnambool hero, Gold Medals, is well named!
He might be nine years old and not as fast as he once was, but this remarkably tough and versatile galloper is the winner of 12 races, capturing more than his share of gold medals along the way.
Of those 12 races six have been on the flat and six over jumps, and his bank balance stands at an impressive $759,485.
The ‘old-bloke’, trained by Simon Wilde, is back at the famous Warrnambool May races Carnival again where he will attempt this afternoon to win back-to-back Brierley Steeplechases.
The Brierley is the ‘Major’ on Day One when jumps racing is highlighted with three divisions of the Maiden Hurdle along with the feature ‘chase.
Last year Gold Medals became a bit of a legend in the district when he won not only the Brierley on the Tuesday, but backed-up to win the $350,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase on Thursday.
Wilde has given Gold Medals an interesting preparation for this week at Warrnambool.
He has had two runs on the flat, the first being over 2400-metres on March 30 at Bendigo before tackling the Terang Cup (2150m) two weeks later.
He ran an eye-catching 4.8-length sixth in the Terang Cup, proving there is still some life in the old boy yet.
He then had a quiet Steeplechase trial at Warrnambool on April 24 over 2800-metres, finishing fifth behind Bit Of A Lad and Dormello Mo, two of his rivals today.
Last year Wilde followed a similar routine giving Gold Medals two runs on the flat – he ran fifth in last year’s Terang Cup beaten 7.25-lengths.
He then schooled over fences over 2800-metres at Warrnambool on exactly the same day last year – April 24.
Last year that trial was won by Dormello Mo, who went on to run sixth behind Gold Medals in the Brierley.
This year’s Brierley looks a lot stronger than last year’s renewal.
Apart from the defending champ Gold Medals, the field includes exciting jumper Bit Of A Lad, seasoned jumpers Dormello Mo and Ill’ava’alf, SA’s impressive Oakbank steeplechase winner Searaven, Newbury, a 50-length trial winner at Warrnambool and a New Zealand wild-card called Macklemore, trained by the legendary John Wheeler.
The Kiwi raider has raced over jumps just three times for a win and a second and Wheeler has been smart enough to bring him early and have a steeplechase trial around the circuit on April 24.
This is a select field where seemingly every runner has a chance.
The Brierley is run on the famous steeplechase track at the ‘Bool which sees the horses leave the racecourse and run off into paddocks alongside the racetrack.
It is truly a spectacular sight which is repeated in the two-lap Grand Annual on Thursday.
This Brierley looks an incredibly tough and interesting affair.
For mine Dormello Mo looks to be at the top of his game and could be tough to beat.
