Nangar Rust Eyes Golden Gosford Return

"More relief than excitement."

That was trainer Mick Hardman's emotion fueled summation of Nangar Rust's runaway Gosford Gold Cup heat victory on Sunday night.

"It was more relief for the dog than myself or (owner) Ray (Tanti),” Hardman said.

“Just to see him getting back to his best. It's been a long road."

Sunday night's rampaging 29.26 Gosford Cup heat win was Nangar Rust's third run back from a six month stint on the sidelines with a fractured hock.

The prized chaser's first two starts back from injury resulted in below par finishes following a near record run in a return to racing trial at Dapto over the 520 metres.

"Let's be honest – his first two runs back at Wentworth Park and Richmond were awful," Hardman said.

"He was trialing great but just looked to be lacking confidence in those runs.

"After the Richmond race I threw him in a paddock at home with some young pups to change things up. When I brought him back into the kennels I could just see he was back to his old self and that showed on Sunday.

"You never stop learning and trying new things with training."

Winner at eight of his 14 career starts, Nangar Rust, a son of Bella Infrared and Fancy Liza, was on the cusp of making a real run at some mid-year features when injury struck back in June.

"It's been a lot of hard work to get him back," Hardman said.

"Matt Kwong did the surgery and when he first looked at the x-ray said it was 50/50 whether he'd race again.

“In the first six weeks of his recovery I was lasering him every four hours. For the first three months I was worried whether he'd race again but it just kept responding and improving."

On Sunday night, Nangar Rust continues his return to racing when he tackles a crack field in the Group 2 Woy Woy Poultry Gosford Gold Cup (515m).

The $40,000-to-the-winner showpiece has brought together a stellar field, led by newly crowned track record holder Wow which has come up with box one for trainer Karina Britton.

Nangar Rust will exit box seven in his quest to claim the group 2 feature.

"We are relying on a lot of luck," Hardman said.

"There's quite a few dogs that can go around 4.30 for the first split so we are going to be a few lengths off them at the first turn. If the breaks go his way and he gets in the race then he's a chance. But the red (Wow) is going to be hard to beat, what a dog he's turning into."

Hardman is using Sunday's Gosford Cup decieer as a stepping stone towards a trip to Queensland in the New Year for the summer riches on offer up north.

"I want to get him up there for the Golden Ticket match races series on January 14 and will decide after that where he goes," Hardman said.

"I knew from his first trial back at Wentworth Park he hadn't lost a stride so now it's just about him just racing and building up that confidence again.

"He'll tell us but I'm confident in a few months he'll be up over the 720 metres." 

Tab.com.au have Wow (1) the $1.70 favourite for Sunday's blockbuster final ahead of powerhouse heat winner Incapacitated (3) $4.80.

Aston Zodiac (4) is $7.00 with Nangar Rust (7) next in betting at $10.00.