The Gold Glass

An impressive field of marathon turfers will assemble in Berkshire this week for the running of The Gold Glass over 16f. A distinct lack of early speed amongst the runners should see for a few of the usual backmarkers be forced to take up a more prominent position, which should lead to a fascinating run home. A prize purse of $500,000 is on offer for those who can prove triumphant in this turf marathon test.

PP1 THE MAGI(IRE) (YEATS (IRE) x DYNAFORMER x CRYPTOCLEARANCE) desimster 16/1
This 4yo colt has provided his trainer, Shamrock stables, with a few confusing signs, seemingly running just as well over all distances on both surfaces. He finally broke through last start in the Kepler of Rock Turf Endurance over 16f, with a dominant 7 ¾ length win, after coming from the back of the field and giving the early leader as much as an 18 length head start. Prior to that he came from a similar distance back over 14f on dirt, to win narrowly in a NW3x Allowance, and was beaten by a head three starts ago over 16f on dirt in a field of 4. Looked to excel over this trip and surface last start, and may have finally been given his most favourable conditions. Will settle well back, and is sure to be storming home late.

PP2 HORSENSTIEN(KY) (BIG BROWN x DANZIG CONNECTION x RAISE A NATIVE) rubiano06 15/1
Two-time graded stakes winner over 16f on turf, so cannot rule him out here, despite him being far from career best form of late. Last time out he finished 4th of 7 in a NW2s when he was beaten by over 10 lengths. Before that, he was beaten by 18 lengths, when 5th of 7 in the Dialling En La Sob Turf Stakes. Beat just 2 home in the Grade II The Stayer’s Dash over 14f, 3 starts ago, when settling right at the back of the field, and making little impression throughout. Won the Grade II The Don’s Plastered Cup coming off a disappointing 19 length defeat, so can turn his form around quickly, but will need to do that again here to challenge this field.

PP3 SKUNKS FOR LIBERTY(AUS) (REDOUTE’S CHOICE (AUS) x DYNAFORMER x LYPHARD) skunkbarn 9/1
Ever-improving 4yo who has reached his peak form since starting to run over the marathon journeys, starting 3 starts ago in a NW4x Allowance over 14f, when he led a field of 4 from gate to wire, opening up a margin of over 12 lengths by the 3rd call, to score in emphatic fashion with an SP109. He followed that with an impressive 3rd placing in the Grade II The Sandy Ray Handicap over 12f, when he was narrowly defeated by just ¾ length by the favourite of this race, COMEBACK CAT(KY). At his most recent start, he again went gate-to-wire in his first graded stakes success, namely, the 16f Grade III The Barberville, pulling away after the 2nd call to open up a 5 length lead, and then cruising home to score by 4 lengths. Latest form puts him right in contention here.

PP4 THEYPULLMEBACKIN(KY) (GONE WEST x BESTYOUCANBE x BLUSHING GROOM(FR)) willzway42 11/1
5yo colt whose form has been a little patchy of late, with long spells between runs and some heavy losses mixed with some promising placings in top class marathon events. He comes here on the back of 7 weeks off, following a determined 3rd placing in the Grade I The Spring Cup over 16f, beaten by over 10 lengths, and will line up here against the 2nd placed SHINE ON THROUGH from that race. Prior to that he came from almost 20 lengths off the lead to finish off strongly for a 2nd placing in the Grade II The Stayer’s Dash, with an SP107. Made little impression at his previous 2 starts, with defeats in Bly Me Too Turf Stakes and the Grade I The Penn Endurance. Is a stakes winner over 16f on turf, and has been placed in his last 2 starts against graded company. Cannot rule out.

PP5 CAN I GET TWELVE(KY) (DYNAFORMER x SKY CLASSIC x MARIA’S MON) foals2010 5/1
Coming here after a rare failure last time out at his first start on an off track, this 5yo scratch bred horse, is currently ranked the 4th top long turf router in the sim. Prior to his last start disappointment in the Grade I The Spring Cup, he was a dominant winner of the Grade I South Australian Cup, where he finished powerfully to run away to score by 3 ¾ lengths. Before that, he was back in distance to 11.5f in the Lainey’s Quill Turf Stayer, when finishing 2nd, with an SP110. A 4 time graded stakes winner, including the Grade I The Penn Endurance in December last year, he will be looking to make amends for his poor run last time, and looks ideally suited here.

PP6 TEHUANACA(FR) (TREMPOLINO x RUDIMENTARY x VAGUELY NOBLE) balogh 33/1
The outsider of the field faces a big step up in class from what he has been accustomed to, however brings winning form into this race over marathon distances, so has to be considered a place chance. His last start was an encouraging all the way win in an open allowance over 14f, where he finished with an SP103 to score by 1 ½ lengths. A mishap 2 starts ago saw him finish down the track with an SP42, so that run has to be forgotten. Going back 3 starts ago, he found it all too easy in NW3x allowance against a minimum capacity field, when he cantered to almost a 10 length win with an SP60. With a lot of the field preferring to come from a long way back, he should be able to settle up in the first few runners, and has every chance to hold on for a sneaky place on the back of his last run.

PP7 AWAKE BY NOON(KY) (SMART STRIKE x SADLER’S WELLS x DYNAFORMER) chilimac1 13/1
Graduated to stakes class last time out, jumping from open allowances to a Grade II, when a battling 3rd place in The Second Henry over 16f, with an SP95. Before that he ran a career best SP107 when 2nd in an open allowance, coming from over 10 lengths behind at the 3rd call to run the winner to within 2 lengths by the wire. Three easy allowance wins preceded that, by margins of 6 ¾, 3 ½ and 4 lengths, over distances between 14 and 16f. Was no match for the winner last start, but his placing was still encouraging, and his recent form has been near faultless, finishing on the board at his last 6 starts. Cannot overlook.

PP8 SHINE ON THROUGH(AUS) (BEL ESPRIT (AUS) x SWAIN (IRE) x COZZENE) crown 8/1
Without doubt, Bel Espirit’s best runner in the sim, given he hasn’t had a stakes winner from any of his last 5 crops, this 7yo veteran continues to show up in the money, despite not having won since April 2011. Last time out he was 2nd home, but beaten convincingly by 8 lengths in the Grade I The Spring Cup over 16f, which was coincidentally the last race he won last year. Before that he was 3rd in the Grade I South Australian Cup, with an SP103. Finished well back in both the Ackland Cup and Penn Endurance which followed an encouraging run in the Milwood Cup when beaten by 3 lengths. Winner of 3 Grade I races in his career, and has raced at the top level in each of his previous 21 starts. Is always thereabouts and has definite place claims again.

PP9 COMEBACK CAT(KY) (STORM CAT x KITTEN’S JOY x SEATTLE SLEW) nemesis1 5/2
The step up in distance will be the main test for this former sprinting claimer who will start favourite here after consistently running big SPs against top company of late. Last time out he was doing his best work in the stretch, but still wasn’t quite enough to finish on the board, when 4th in the Grade I The Coronation Pilsner over 12f with an SP108. Before that, he was charging home late for a 2nd placing in the Grade II The Cold Plate, with an SP112 over 13f. Three starts ago he tasted success in the Grade III The Sandy Ray Handicap, when settling midfield, and then timing his run perfectly to score by ½ length with an SP110. Should get the perfect trail just behind the leaders, and looks the one beat.

PP10 PARALLEL LINE(KY) (HENRYTHENAVIGATOR x DANZIG x NIJINSKY II) super28 6/1
This supremely bred 4yo up and comer is from the graded stakes winning dam, Parallax, who has so far produced 4 stakes winners from 5 to race, including 3 graded winners. Last time out, he got as far back as 13 lengths from the leader, before commencing a stunning run home, falling just short, when 2nd to EL SAMURAI in the Grade III The BBR Special, with a career best SP110. An easy allowance win preceded that, after his failure in the Grade III The Diamond Stakes, when he finished over 21 lengths from the winner, but still running a respectable SP105. Two starts before that was his breakthrough win in the Grade II New Zealand Drinking Device, when he settled midfield, and came with a monster run, hitting the lead well before the stretch and winning, going away. Looks to still have further improvement left in him, and will line up here as one of the main chances.

PP11 EL SAMURAI(JPN) (KING KAMEHAMEHA(JPN) x DANEHILL x GONE WEST) fpv 9/2
Looks to be back to his best on the back of his last 2 runs, which have seen him score in impressive style. Most recently, he came with a striking turn of speed, from his early midfield position, to score in the Grade III The BBR Special, by ½ length, to just nudge out PARALLEL LINE. Before that, he started his run from further than 15 lengths from the leader at the 2nd call, when reeling in the field and bursting clear to win by 3 ¼ lengths in the Mighty Dancer Turf Endurance over 13f. Made late ground, without ever looking a winning chance 3 starts back in the Grade II The Stayer’s Dash. Can be difficult to stop when he gets on a roll, having won 4 and 6 races on end earlier in his career. Recent runs would suggest he should figure prominently.