Veteran Go Bears Sweeps Into Country Classic Mix

KAREN Ulrick admits back when the Casino trio to head towards the Ladbrokes Country Classic semis at Dubbo were chosen, she and trainer Ron even offered to withdraw Go Bears from the ballot.

“We did not think he deserved to be in the semis,” admitted Karen. “He had run third in his heat of The Richmond (the qualifier for the Dubbo semis) and others deserved to be there ahead of him.

“When the ballot was done, his name was the first out.”

On Saturday night, four-year-old veteran Go Bears (My Redeemer-My Kinloch) led virtually throughout to win his semi-final of the Classic (605m) to cement his spot in next Saturday night's rich final.

It was his 97^th start and took his career to 26 wins, 30 placings and $192,000.

Along the way, Go Bears, raced by Ron and Karen Ulrick on the Northern Rivers, has won the G2 Richmond Derby, the Coonamble Cup, been third in the G1 National Derby and a finalist in the G1 Paws Of Thunder, G3 New Sensation, The Ambrosoli and the Wauchope Cup.

At Dubbo, he downed Minnie Finn's group star Gets Late Early by two and a half lengths in 34.54.

Karen's daughter Holly took Go Bears on the nine and a quarter hour trip to Dubbo.

“Yes, it was a bit of a shock to see him win,” said Karen.

“We didn't give him an y hope. He had come out of box four nine times in his career and it was the only box he had never won out of.

“But, it's the best feeling that he has won and now goes into the final. We will have a family meeting this week to see who goes to Dubbo with Holly and the dog.”

Karen says box eight in the final suits Go Bears.

“:He does like to get a bit of room to move,” she said. “He is just a good chaser, with a big, big heart.”

Other semis of the Country Classic went to:

Jodie Lord's outstanding Ayden's Warrior (Fernando Bale-Book Of Luck) ran the quickest of the semis with a 34.45 in a devastating beating of Kangaroo Jack by almost 16 lengths.

Ayden's Warrior has now won his past five and, after drawing the rails in the final, is likely to start hot favourite.

Early series favourite, Mark Gatt's Jungle Johnny (Jungle Deuce-Springvale Carla) ran 34.57 to win by four lengths over Flash On By.

Late Night News (Fernando Bale-Zipping Kelly) ran 34.66 to down Lucky Blue Book by almost eight lengths for Mary Hughes.

Ladbrokes Country Classic final (605m): 1 Ayden's Warrior, 2 Lucky Blue Book, 3 Flash On By, 4 Gets Late Early, 5 Kangaroo Jack, 6 Jungle Johnny, 7 Late Night News, 8 Go Bears. Res: 9 Zipping Chaplin, 10 Screaming Violet.