High Priced Purchase Stuns On Goulburn Debut
HIGHLY touted maiden Gold Force has lived right up to his lofty boom with a slashing debut victory at Goulburn over 350m on Monday.
HIGHLY touted maiden Gold Force has lived right up to his lofty boom with a slashing debut victory at Goulburn on Monday.
The Denice Warren-trained son of Aussie Infrared scored over the 350 metre journey by an ever-widening 14 lengths in a slashing 19.53s, the time just .02s outside More Sauce's 19.33s track record.
Warren had set the hulking 39 kilo youngster for the rich Zoom Top Maiden (440m) at Goulburn in late July but had to withdraw from the feature event in the countdown to the heats with injury.
That series went on to be annexed by the hugely talented Joey The Jet in near record time before the dog was transferred to leading Victorian mentor Jason Thompson.
Gold Force was slated to clash with Joey The Jet in a heat of that series before his scratching, with many of the belief that had he started he would have come up trumps, such were the remarkable times he was recording in trials.
That sentiment was only furthered on Monday following his crushing debut victory for Warren and prominent harness racing owner Mick Boots, who purchased the gifted sprinter for a cool six-figure sum earlier in the year.
Among an array of harness racing stars, Boots currently owns superstar pacer Swayzee, but admits he's now equally delighted to be in the greyhound racing fold with an emerging star.
"It was really good to see him get out there and deliver on that promise," Boots said.
"Watching greyhounds is a lot different to the standardbreds. Lot more unpredictable and a lot quicker obviously. But it was great to see him win the way he did, plenty of fun.
"Denice has been very patient with the dog and in any of our talks I've just said for her to do what she thinks is best.
"You see in all codes trainers sometimes push them along too quickly and you end up with nothing at the end of it."
With in the vicinity of 48 harness racing trainers on his books, earmarking a trainer for Boots' first foray into greyhound racing almost fell into place by fate.
"I'd asked around a few people and got pointed in Denice's direction," Boots said.
"Then I found out she is the aunty of Brad Hewitt who trains for me.
"I told Denice to find me a dog and it took her a good two years I reckon to come up with one.
"It's a great start and hopefully down the track he can measure up in some better races."
Gold Force's slashing run at Goulburn continues a big week for maiden performances following Dalwhinnie's track record run at Wentworth Park last Thursday night.