Victorian raider Golden Path has returned to the winner’s circle with a well-timed run to score in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (2000m) at Randwick for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
The son of Belardo was perfectly handled by jockey Chad Schofield, with Golden Path collaring Father’s Day late with Toesonthenose in third.
It was the third victory from ten career starts for Golden Path, who made a good early impression from his new quarters after being purchased out of New Zealand.
A winner on debut for the stable before going on to win the Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m) as a late three-year-old, the gelding had struggled to reach those early heights as a four-year-old.
Following his last start fifth in the A$500,000 The Coast (1600m) at Newcastle, the decision was made to step the galloper up in distance and he relished getting out to 2000m.
“He’s a horse that we profiled to get 2000m this time around,” Assistant Trainer Ben Elam said.
“He had to work hard for it, the leader skipped away and it was a very honest gallop.
“They dropped off mid-section and I thought if the leader skipped away he is going to have to work very hard, but he really pinned his ears back which was good to see because sometimes he can think about it.
“We are at a stage now where it was a good time to test him at 2000m and now he has ticked that box.”
Schofield made all the right moves at the right time to ensure Golden Path didn’t get too far back on a recently renovated track that was difficult to make up significant ground.
“I rode him the other day at Newcastle over a mile and he just kept finding the line like a horse that wants a bit further, so they stepped him up in trip today,” Schofield said.
“I was a bit worried about the draw (7) and where we’d end up. I didn’t want to be too far back with how the track is playing but he broke well and we got into a lovely position.
“The horse we were following started to get detached so I had to hook out at the 600m and make our own run. It was a good duel up the straight and he was a strong horse late.”
