Racing: The time of his life: Cliff, 90, has Gold Watch ticking along nicely

Gold Watch with trainer Cliff Goss after winning at Te Rapa.

Racing today
● Te Aroha, two black type races, first race at 12.30pm.
● Whanganui, list race, first race at 12.45pm.
● Geraldine Harness, Cup day, first race noon.
● Inter Dominions in Sydney, round one, first heat 10.43pm (NZ time).

Training one of New Zealand's most exciting horses as he takes the step towards black type racing would be enough to make any small stable trainer nervous. Unless you are 90-year-old Cliff Goss.

Goss trains Gold Watch, who is aiming for his sixth straight win in the open 1400m at Te Aroha today as a pathway to rich mile races at Ellerslie and Trentham later in the summer.
For a trainer with only two horses in work, that is heady stuff, but if you have made it to 90, "and I'm still pretty fit," says Cliff, then a day at the races probably isn't going to faze you.

But the feelgood story of the New Zealand racing season says having a bit of age on his side isn't the only reason he takes it all in his stride.

"I trained in Macau for 2 years when racing started out there in the 1990s and that was real pressure," Goss says with a laugh.

"Back then, it was all about owners wanting to bet, so if horses didn't perform the way they wanted, things could get a bit touch and go, blokes got in all sorts of trouble.

"Nothing bad happened to me but I had a horse win four races in a row to start its career and run second at its next start and one of the brothers who owned it came down and told me they were taking it off me because I couldn't train.

"So after that, training back here is just fun."

Gold Watch is serious fun and would be unbeaten but for being hindered by an injury on debut two years ago. The way he carried 62kg to a first-up victory at Te Rapa last start suggested he is black type class, maybe even Group 1.

He drops back to 54kg for his open class debut in the Geoff Brindley Memorial today, and that means regular rider Jonathan Riddell can't make the weight, so premiership winner Danielle Johnson will take the reins.

"I think he will really notice being down to 54kg and he is ready to go well again because the Te Rapa race didn't take much out of him," says Goss.

"He is a good, tough horse and I think he will make a really good miler, so I'd love to win this again and then go to the Rich Hill Mile on New Year's Day."

Gold Watch finds himself in an ideal race because there is enough quality to see him well down in the weights but nothing scary enough to suggest he can't keep winning, especially as barrier four should see him midfield on the outer at worst.

His big boy won't be the only highlight for Goss today, as his daughter Cherry Taylor and her husband Brent, of Trelawney Stud, own the favourite in the listed race before, unbeaten 3-year-old Pareanui Bay.

He was brilliant winning the Sarten Memorial last start and looks the biggest summer challenger to 2000 Guineas hero Noverre, so he should win today, even though high-class filly La Crique will take some catching.

"It is exciting for Cherry and Brent to have a horse like that. He is a really good one, and the last time he won, I won on the same programme with Gold Watch," says Goss.

"We realise how lucky we are to have two horses as good as these two racing in an hour, so I am going to enjoy it."

With another excitement machine in Sakura Blossom (R2, No8) also engaged today, the meeting hosts some of the most hyped horses in New Zealand, and racing bosses will be hoping they can keep winning to up the ante for summer's biggest races.