Field set for Gawler Gold Cup after cracking heat night
The field is set for the 2023 Groupe 3 Gawler Gold Cup final after a cracking night of heats saw several impressive performances and a few surprise packets book their tickets to the final.
The opening heat saw Agent Nine Nine for trainer Ben Rawlings continue its excellent run of form as it defeated a strong field to win the first heat.
Drawn into box four, Agent Nine Nine was able to find the early lead showing off its early speed before opening an advantage down the back before winning by four lengths in a time of 30.60.
Springvale Max finished second for trainer Gavin Harris, booking its spot in the final ahead of the fast-finishing Harry and Dash Of Blue.
Heat two shaped as one of the more even heats with several winning chances with the race taken out by Springvale Bray who made the most of an inside draw finding the lead early just ahead of recent Adelaide Cup finalist Adhana Rico.
The pair were neck and neck down the back straight, but Springvale Bray kicked away on the home straight to win by a length in a best of the night time of 30.40.
The third heat saw local fancy Who Knows Darren upstage the field to produce an impressive run of 30.73 to secure his place in the final.
Who Knows Darren possesses terrific early speed and was able to cross and lead the field from his box seven opening a two-length advantage down the back before the chasers began to close in.
While star interstater chaser Stout Monelli was able to cut into the margin, Who Knows Darren was able to win by just under a length.
Stout Monelli finished in second place and will loom as one of the dangers in the final as it looks to continue its excellent form which includes a second in the Million Dollar Chase Masters final at Wentworth Park in Sydney.
The final heat saw the Nicole Price-trained Velocity Zaylia claimed its third straight win as it booked its place in the final. With some trouble down the back straight, Velocity Zaylia was able to swoop through on the rail and win by a length.
Alvin Rose for Tony Lagana finished in second spot while in-form fancies Fiorano and Could Be King both had no luck as they finished in the back half of the field.
Also on Monday night, we saw three heats of Gawler Sprint Classic with an excellent field set to contest the final next week.
Heat one saw the ever-consistent Cash On Delivery take out the race from box one. Despite being slightly slow away, he was able to get through on the rail and pull away winning by a length and a half from the fast-finishing Mr. Ticket.
The second heat saw another pair of well-performed Gawler short-course racers advance with Go Go Snow for Tamica Dunn and Magic Poppet for Kerry Stagg both booking their ticket into the final.
The final heat saw Mike Wittholz-trained Universal Value also continue its excellent form making its way into the final with a 22.56 run. It marks another feature final for Universal Value who recently competed in the SA Country Cup on Adelaide Cup Night at Angle Park.
The Bothing Stayers Cup final will also be run next Sunday night and Zipping Neutron will be the one to beat after breaking the 37-barrier after winning his heat in 36.9 and beating last year’s winner in Kruger Lass who produced an excellent run off its Million Dollar Chase form in 37.29.
There was a surprise in the first heat with the Gavin Harris trained Springvale Rex upsetting the in-form Zipping Highland and winning with an excellent run in 37.39.
The Group 3 Gawler Gold Cup final will be held at Gawler this Sunday night , hospitality packages are still available and selling fast.!