Grand Circuit star Washakie head lines Easter Sunday afternoon’s Number 1 Club Carnival of Cups meeting at the Goulburn Paceway. Fresh from his Inter Dominion campaign, the Luke McCarthy trained star is primed to repeat his win in this season’s Max Treuer Memorial by taking out the $25,000 Frank and Edna Day Memorial Goulburn Cup over 2240m.
Though winless in New Zealand, Washakie acquitted himself very well finishing a close 4th in the Auckland Cup before a very good second to Themightyquinn in his opening heat of the Inter Dominion Championship. Commenting on his New Zealand efforts Luke McCarthy stated “Really happy, he was a good 4th at Auckland [Auckland Cup] when under done and then a great 2nd to Themightyquinn in the first heat. We were unlucky and got parked in the second heat before drawing badly in the final and he was always going to find it tough from there”
Since returning home Washakie has pleased Luke in his track work. “At the farm he feels like before the Treuer” commented McCarthy, an ominous warning to his rivals on Sunday. The stable is also represented by the outstanding mare Fleur De Lil.
A 7yo Armbro Operative mare, Fleur De Lil has only recently returned from a highly successful North American venture where she netted in excess of $250,000 in prize money. A multiple winner at Yonkers she resumed her Australian career on the 9th April with a very good 2nd at Albion Park behind Abbey Tiara in a mile rate of 1:55.6 for the 1660m journey.
“She had 10 weeks off between the US, quarantine and travelling around, and after a couple of trials was first up in Brisbane when second in 1:55 from the breeze. Very happy with the run but she’ll need another to get her up with Washakie, Lady Lexus and Min Min Lights” stated McCarthy.
Whilst Luke will be making his debut as a trainer on the Goulburn track he has previously driven for Brian Hancock and is familiar with the circuit describing it as a lovely beautiful track to race on.
The McCarthy pair will not have it all their own way with star New South Wales mare Lady Lexus, Canberra Cup winner Min Min Lights and the brilliant Vegas Bound looking the most likely to resist them. Lady Lexus finished a very close third behind stalemate Rohan Home in the Renshaw Cup last week. On that occasion she sustained a searching run from the back of the field to be 3 wide from the 700m mark and yet was still taking ground off the winner.
The Brian Hancock trained Vegas Bound is a winner on the track who is resuming from a short let up. He performed consistently in feature races in Tasmania and South Australia before finishing 3rd in the Canberra Cup behind Min Min Lights.
Sunday’s programme will also see the resurrection of the $10,000 Andrew Lederer Memorial Goulburn Sapling Stakes for 2yo pacers. Sponsored by Belmore Estate and Goulburn First National, harness fans will have to be on course early as the 2yo feature is the first race of a great 9 race card. Scheduled to start at 11.48am, the drawcard is the unbeaten Ian Wilson trained Scandalman. The last start Linden Huntley Final winner is the logical favourite but will find strong opposition from Neil Day’s Magic Bliss.
With an old classic commencing proceedings on the day, the afternoon will be seen out by the inaugural running of the $15,000 Goulburn Soldiers Club Goulburn Rose for C2 to C4 pacers. Featuring a full field of up and coming pacers, the David Hewitt trained Roboat has drawn beautifully in barrier 2. The injury plagued pacer has won 5 of his 11 starts and Sunday’s feature looks an ideal event.
Visitors to Goulburn can be guaranteed of a great day out with the club organising a number of activities and promotions. Visitors to Goulburn can check out sheep shearing, enjoy musical entertainment by the talented Kerrie O’Keefe, and savour succulent ‘lamb on the spit’ rolls whilst children will have a selection of activities to keep them occupied. The club will also conduct a raffle for $1,000 fuel and Kalimbah’s re-educated standardbreds will lead out the fields.
The Goulburn Paceway is situated at the Goulburn Recreation Area on Braidwood Road and is easily accessible from Sydney via the Hume Highway.
