Gold Trip has run his last race, but the Melbourne Cup winner will continue to make a significant impact on Victorian racing as he transitions to his new role at stud.
The rising eight-year-old, renowned for his exceptional performances, will now stand at the newly-launched Lovatsville (formerly Leneva Park Stud) near Seymour, just an hour north of
Flemington.
He will begin his first breeding season this spring with a fee set at $8800.
Purchased from Europe for $2.3 million, Gold Trip more than repaid his owners, Australian Bloodstock, with nearly $7 million in Australian earnings by the time of his final race—a third-place finish in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield in February.
A tendon injury in March ultimately led to the decision to retire him.
Gold Trip’s career highlights include his 2022 Melbourne Cup victory, where he carried 57.5 kilograms to become the first topweight to win since Makybe Diva’s third victory in 2005.
Additionally, his brilliant performance in the 2022 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, where he stormed from near last to win, solidified his reputation.
That race saw him defeat a formidable field, including eventual Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe and Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior.
Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett praised Gold Trip’s Turnbull Stakes performance, stating, “There is no doubt in my mind that he was beating the best 2000-metre field assembled in this country in the last 20 years, and he beat them with his head on his chest.”
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher, who trained Gold Trip in partnership with David Eustace, reflected on the horse’s remarkable career.
“He won a Melbourne Cup, was beaten a lip in the Caulfield Cup, was a weight-for-age Turnbull Stakes winner, could have won a Cox Plate and was elite in an Arc. He is a legitimate freak,” Maher said.
He also emphasized the significance of Gold Trip’s Melbourne Cup win and the impressive nature of his Turnbull Stakes victory, given the field he defeated that day.
Sam White of Lovatsville noted the value Gold Trip brings to the breeding barn.
“At $8800, he is priced extremely well considering his ability. We want to inject further value into the opportunity by providing very attractive breeding right packages so that Gold Trip’s supporters can access him for the duration of his career for a modest outlay,” he said.
Gold Trip, a son of Outstrip, was bred in France and initially showcased his talent in Europe, including a fourth-place finish in the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Recruited to Australia by Australian Bloodstock, he made a significant impact despite a tendon injury delaying his Victorian spring debut in 2021.
His Australian highlights include a narrow second in the Caulfield Cup and a luckless ninth in the Cox Plate before his Melbourne Cup triumph.
As Gold Trip transitions to stud life at Lovatsville, he joins a roster that includes Royal Meeting, Fierce Impact, and newcomer Generation.
His legacy on the track, combined with his promising potential as a sire, ensures his continued influence on Australian racing.
Lovett expressed gratitude for the thrilling moments Gold Trip provided, saying, “He gave us the thrill of a lifetime in the spring of 2022 and we’re thankful that he retires as a healthy horse whose progeny will be seen on racetracks in Australia again.”
Gold Trip’s journey from a European import to a celebrated champion in Australia is a testament to his extraordinary talent and resilience.
His presence at Lovatsville marks the beginning of a new chapter, promising to shape the future of racing with his progeny.
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