Nangar Jim Claims Maitland Cup Gold

TRAINER Joe Mcfadyen has capped off a stellar 2023 racing season with Nangar Jim roaring away for victory in the Group 2 Maitland Gold Cup Final (450m) on Friday night.

The son of Aston Dee Bee and Nangar Silk was simply brilliant in the $40,000-to-the-winner decider, making full use of his perfect box eight draw to post a race record 24.77 for the 450 metre journey.

The win handed Mcfadyen his first group race triumph as a trainer on the back of a breakout 2023 which saw him land a spate of victories and qualify for a number of big race finals, including with Belmont Bullet in the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg earlier in the year.

And the Maitland Cup title was a deserved one for Nangar Jim which going into the finale had been in fantastic form, including a narrow second to Quantifiable in the Group 3 Goulburn Cup (440m) in late October.

2023 G2 East Maitland Bowling Club Gold Cup Final has been won by Nangar Jim trained by Joseph Mcfadyen pic.twitter.com/vbtD3EmooE

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) December 8, 2023

"I'm not very often short for words. It's hard to describe. It's a dream come true literally. Years and years of hard work, ups and downs, thinking is this all worth it, then you have a good run, get a dog like him and now I'm a Group winning trainer," Mcfadyen said.

"We didn't think he was this good. We've lifted the hurdles for him ever so slowly, and he just keeps jumping them.

"I don't know, I think he missed a little bit tonight and just the sheer speed that he's got. He was just good enough to get up on the outside and chop them off on the first turn and luck's a fortune and away he went.

"Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way. I'm just so thankful for the life that I live with the dogs and get to do it, that in itself is a dream come true. I'm just ever so humble."

On a red letter night for the Kariong trainer, Sandstorm Rico also landed the GRNSW Middle Distance (565m) event in impressive fashion over Nangar Rocket.

Finishing second in the Maitland Gold Cup decider was Nad Al Sheba narrowly ahead of War Hawk in third.

In the other feature of the night, the Ladbrokes Future Stars Maiden (400m), a star was well and truly born with the well-bred Rinsed The Lot stopping the clock in a scintillating 22.17.

The powerhouse performance by the son of Barcia Bale and Mrs. Mouse handed trainer Michelle Sultana a second win in the race after Drink Shoeys won the event in 2019.