Untapped former New Zealand galloper Goldman (NZ) (Verdi) has earned himself a start in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with a dominant all-the-way win at Flemington.
Success in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) on Saturday has provided the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper with a ballot exemption into November’s great race.
After four starts in New Zealand, Goldman made his way to the Waterhouse and Bott stable at the start of this campaign with Saturday’s victory following wins at Kembla Grange and Warwick Farm.
Sent out the $3 favourite under Jordan Childs, Goldman led throughout in scoring a 2-¾ length win from Soulcombe (Frankel) ($4.60) with Swords Drawn (Camelot) ($41) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Waterhouse said Goldman was a raw talent that will benefit from time in the paddock.
“He’s got raw talent and it will improve when he has a little break and comes back in the spring,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s so unfurnished, but there is so much to work with. It’s so exciting.
“We’ll let the paddock worry about him and we’ll worry about him when he gets back.
“The owners are the biggest thing that need managing.”
Childs said he had received a text message from Regan Bayliss who had ridden the gelding in his two wins in Sydney to tell him the type of stayer Goldman was.
He said after having his sit aboard Goldman that he was up with some of the better performed stayers that he had ridden.
“He’s a really nice horse and he’s going through the grades nicely at the moment,” Childs said.
“It was another step up today and he just showed his class.
“He was able to get into a nice rhythm, we bowled along at our own tempo and when I asked him to quicken up from the 600 (metres), I knew he was going to take some chasing.
“He’s a very kind ride and he’ll definitely get further too, as he took a bit of pulling up.
“He’s got a really bold action on him, so good luck to the team and connections.”
Goldman is a son of the Zabeel stallion Verdi, a half-brother to the multiple Group One winners Sir Slick (NZ) (Volksraad) and Puccini, who stands at Long Acres Stud in Canterbury.
Prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Verdi won three of his eight starts and had Group One potential before a tendon injury pre-maturely ended his career.
Bred by the Smithies family’s Monovale Holdings, Goldman won two of his four start in New Zealand for the Smithies and trainer Tony Pike.
The four-year-old gelding was sold to syndicators Darby Racing via bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo following a narrow victory over 1600m at Pukekohe in November.
