Derby Next Stop For Cobber After Gosford Gold

GOOD Odds Cobber gave away age and experience to each of his rivals but in the end it mattered for little with the prodigious talent scoring an emphatic victory in the Group 2 Gosford Cup (515m).

The son of Fernando Bale went into the Beast Unleashed sponsored finale on the strength of two character building runner-up performances, the latest behind Zipping Novak in last week's heats.

But the $40,000-to-the-winner final was turned on its head on race morning with news that Cup favourite Zipping Novak had been withdrawn from the race with injury.

That left the door ajar for a finalist to make the race their own – enter Good Odds Cobber which held the lead heading out of the first turn to establish a race winning march.

"It's good to be back in the winner's circle… someone wants to talk to me" ????

Simon Orchard caught up with a very jovial Frank Hurst after Good Odds Cobber won the first group race of the year in NSW, the G2 Beast Unleashed Gosford Gold Cup!

(We always enjoy talking to you,… pic.twitter.com/mFuZFopo8H

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) January 2, 2024

"How good is that – someone wants to talk to me again," said a jovial trainer Frank Hurst in the race aftermath.

"He's a good young pup and the recent runs here really held him in good stead for tonight. I've said right along this pup is a good one and he showed that tonight."

Next stop for Good Odds Cobber will be a tilt at the Group 1 National Derby which gets underway at Wentworth Park in a fortnight's time.

The fashionably bred youngster has already shown his prowess in town, running a flying 29.68.

And with fellow boom youngster Zipping Megatron set to miss the series, Good Odds Cobber heads into the time-honoured feature as the piping hot favourite.

Finishing second in Tuesday night's Gosford Gold Cup was a gallant Eyes To Eyes for Neville Brown My Hepburn finished third.

The winning time was 29.31.

Meanwhile, the Gosford Cup Consolation produced a thrilling finish with Zipping Orlando edging out Zipping Maserati in 29.53.

The Ladbrokes Lightning Final (388m) went the way of Sicario Beast for trainer Peter Lagogiane in 21.94, the son of Beast Unleashed extending his record to nine wins from 11 starts.