That’s Gold on track for NZ Derby after winning Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie

That's Gold smashed his rivals in the Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie. Photo / Kenton Wright

A tilt at the Group 1 Trackside New Zealand Derby is now on the cards for exciting 3-year-old That’s Gold after his impressive victory in the Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie.

The Chris Wood-trained gelding collected a big winning cheque when victorious in the $350,000 Karapiro Classic (1500m) at Te Rapa earlier this month, but despite that performance he was allowed to drift to a $12.70 shot for Saturday’s Guineas.

Eager to get a line on the staying qualities of her charge, jockey Samantha Collett was positive out of the gates, punching That’s Gold forward from his wide alley to sit outside leader Taylor Square.

The pair injected more pace into the race from the 600m mark, opening up on the remainder of the pack. That’s Gold was still full of running at the turn and rocketed away to score by three-and-three-quarter lengths over Road To Paris, putting any doubts about his staying qualities to bed.

“We were obviously looking to see if he is going to run a Derby trip,” Collett said. “I was happy to let the race unfold. I put a little bit of pressure on him to get to the outside of the leader, but at least I know when the Derby comes around if I am in the same position I have got the horse that I can give a little squeeze to and he is going to relax, which is what he did today.

“It was a good effort because the leader [Taylor Square] probably wouldn’t have taken me much further than it did. From knowing him in the past, he is not really inclined to get away from them. He has had a few more runs under his belt now, and he has got a bit more ringcraft, and when I pushed the button he responded really well.”

It was another emotional win for Wood, who was rapt to get the victory for his loyal group of owners.

“I am thrilled to bits,” he said. “I have got good clients. I put all my syndicates together myself and it took a while to piece this one together when I bought him, but we finally got it done and the results are shown today. He was very strong to the line.

“My major worry was a lack of tempo, but it panned out all right. When he kicked at the turn, I was looking at the ones behind him and they weren’t going to get close to him. He can run some sensational sectionals.”

Bred by Yulong Investments, Wood purchased That’s Gold out of its 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft, alongside bloodstock agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman, for A$57,500.

That’s Gold had Wood excited as a juvenile and Yulong made a bid to purchase him back, but Wood is pleased he rebuffed its advances and the Cambridge horseman now has a leading chance in next month’s New Zealand Derby.

“He is a delight to have in the stable,” Wood said. “Yulong tried to buy him back at one stage, but I didn’t tell the owners too much about that. I wanted to keep him as I knew what we had under the bonnet.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk