The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Military Mission (+1500) bounded over the top late in the day to score in the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup on Friday afternoon.
Rachel King found herself in the rare chasing position aboard the five-year-old gelding, unable to press forward from barrier 12.
They had no choice but to drag back and sit in the three-wide line turning for home, producing a quality turn-of-foot to chase down the very game Spirit Ridge (+1800) who continued to cling on, settling for the quinella spot.
It was a bold effort by the winner considering the pattern of the race, as Spirit Ridge and Hosier (+1000) looked set to battle things out with 200m to run; however, it was a perfectly timed steer from Rachel King, securing her fourth victory aboard Military Mission and chalking up his sixth-career win.
2023 Newcastle Gold Cup Replay – Military Mission | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Rachel King
Gai Waterhouse has now won the Newcastle Gold Cup eight times as a trainer and has had a complete stranglehold on the race since obtaining its Group 3 status.
Prior to Military Mission taking out this latest edition, you only need to look back at the likes of Hush Writer (2019), Broadside (2017), Glencadam Gold (2012), Stratoffortress (2010) and Bianca (2008) to see she’s taken out six of the last 15 editions of the staying feature.
Now it’ll be up to Military Mission to go on with the job in the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m) which is the next likely target on the radar as his victory on Friday means he’s now ballot-exempt for the Group 1 event on September 30.
Military Mission has firmed in futures market with online betting sites from +10000 to +2500 in the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m).
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