New Zealand bred Gold Bullion (NZ) (Savabeel) will give trainer Gai Waterhouse a opportunity to win her first Victoria Derby since 1995 after he secured his ticket with a win in the Penfolds Victoria Derby Preview (1800m) at Flemington on Sunday.
The race though was marred by the late scratching’s of the favourite Apulia, the well-fancied Fistoffury and Blooming Edge following a barrier incident.
It occurred after Apulia, in barrier three, became cast in the barriers and lashed out. RV stewards reported that Fistoffury, in barrier two, and Blooming Edge, in barrier four, were both kicked by him.
Waterhouse and Bott also trained the third horse Ambassadorial. Splitting that pair was the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Sunsets.
Waterhouse said Gold Bullion was tough and all he knew was to stay, while Ambassadorial’s effort was also tough.
“They’ve shown today they can run 1800m. We need to stretch them like a piece of chewing gum,” Waterhouse said.
Waterhouse’s only Victoria Derby win was in 1995 with Nothin’ Leica Dane.
The win was the third leg of a winning treble for Blake Shinn who said Gold Bullion had staying potential.
“He was strong when it counted and he’s potentially on a Derby path. Hopefully he can go on with it,” Shinn said.
“It’s hard to know his ceiling as he’s big and strong and he copes with the work.”
Gold Bullion is out of the So You Think mare Gold Rush who is a half sister to the dam of 2023 Australian Derby winner Major Beel (NZ) (Savabeel).
