Trainer Daniel Bowen is confident King’s Gold will bounce back from a luckless run last start and claim the riches on his home turf

Trainer Damien Bowen is writing off the last runs of both King’s Gold and Irish Gift and expects them to figure prominently in their respective assignments on their home track.

Trainer Daniel Bowen is confident both King’s Gold and Irish Gift to be hard to beat. Picture: Grant Peters - Trackside Photography

Local trainer Daniel Bowen advised to forget the last start failure of King’s Gold when things went pear-shaped from the start and assess the gelding’s chances on his solid first-up performance.

Just a fraction of a second before the gates opened at Ballina, the gelding reared up causing him to miss the start and things went from bad to worse throughout the race.

The official result shows King’s Gold finished last of the nine behind Lady Tulessa beaten five-and-a-half lengths in a Benchmark 66 over 1000m.

“Just forget that run at Ballina. He blew the start, he was then was in an impossible position back last and to top it off, he got knocked down on the home turn,” said Bowen.

“Just put a line completely through it.”

It's Lady Tulessa through the middle at Grafton to give Claire Ramsbotham a race-to-race double 🙌@clarenceriverjcpic.twitter.com/O5WdRwalw1

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 9, 2024

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At his previous run, the five-year-old was first-up from a spell and for Bowen when he finished third behind Lady Tulessa at Grafton beaten three-quarters of a length.

That day, King’s Gold got attacked in front and did all the work while she sat off him and just over the top of his late. It was a very good run,” Bowen said.

This weekend, King’s Gold contests the Class 3 Handicap (1110m) where he has drawn barrier 9 with Kirk Matheson to ride.

“He has the outside gate but there are a couple of dual acceptors in this race and if they come out, it will make things a little easier for him,” he said.

“From that draw, I’d be looking for him to go forward and if not lead, sit outside the leader.”

In the race prior, Bowen feels Irish Gift can spring a surprise in the Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1210m).

Prior to joining Bowen’s Lismore stables, the son of Shamus Award only had one start at Ballina last December when second last behind Inlanda.

“He trialled well before his first race start but that day at Ballina, he was off his head. It was mentioned in the stewards report that his pre-race manners were a detriment to his performance,” he said.

“I was there that day and he was rearing up and playing up in the stalls, in the enclosure and also behind the gates. He was tardy to begin, raced out three, four and five deep pushing forward.

Monte Kahuna looks a good chance to record his second career win at Lismore. Picture: Bradley Photos

“He was entitled to stop but his pre-race behaviour also contributed to it.

“I’ve had him in work in work for five months and he could have gone to the races a couple of months ago but I just wanted to be patient and wait until he was ready to go back to the races.

“He is in the right race, he trialled well the other day and can run a bold race.”

On the weekend that champion three-year-old filly Angst is honoured with a Group 3 race at Randwick named in her honour, her trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith saddles up two good chances at Lismore.

Monte Kahuna is coming off a luckless run at Grafton last start and is looking to bounce back while Selfless Valour is shooting for back-to-back wins.

“His last run wasn’t as bad as it looks on paper. He got a long way back and had to change course in the straight to find a run and that’s just not him.

“His work has been really good. The tight track may not suit him as well as a track like Grafton but he is going well,” Mayfield-Smith said.

“She has always shown ability. I think the addition of blinkers has helped her concentrate a bit better.

“I’m pretty confident she will stay the distance and I expect her to run very well.”

ADAM SHERRY’S TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No. 2: Lone Force

Has consistent Sydney provincial form including a Super Maiden win at Wyong. Drawn well and hard to beat.

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No. 5: Miss Uchitel

Good effort to win her maiden here two starts back after being held up. Came from well back last start and step up in trip.

VALUE BET

Race 4 No. 7: King’s Gold

Forget last run when he reared at the start. Good effort first-up and hard to beat on that.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 1: 2, 3

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 7

Race 5: 7, 13, 14

Race 6: 5, 6

Race 7: 5, 6, 9, 11

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Matthew McGuren has a solid book of rides and looks a leading chance in the TAB Jockey Challenge.

Jockey Matthew McGuren looks set for a good day at Lismore. Picture: Greg Irvine, Magic Millions

INSIDE MAIL – LISMORE

RACE 1

Lone Force makes his debut for a new stable. Has handy Sydney provincial form including a Super Maiden win over Spanish Fox at Wyong and a third to him at Hawkesbury. Drawn well and hard to beat if he runs up to that form. Cold One broke a long drought with his win in a Class 1 over 1420m here on Aug 5. Just pipped at the Gold Coast last start. La Cache A Vin led all-the-way over this track and distance in her most recent win at her first run at the track.

Bet: Lone Force to win

RACE 2

Enterprise Private followed a handy second at Doomben with an very impressive four-and-a-quarter length win at the Gold Coast over 2200m. Will be hard to hold out. Monte Kahuna has been slowly improving and did a good job to break his maiden in a Class 1 race over 2105m at Tuncurry on Aug 24. Forget his last run at Grafton when he was slow away and then held up on the turn. Mr Tadashi broke through over 2180m at Ipswich despite over-racing. Lightly-raced and will continue to improve.

Bet: Enterprise Private to win

RACE 3

Irish Gift ran his race before he was even loaded into the barriers and then had a tough run out wide all-the-way on debut at Ballina last December. He had trialled very well prior to that. In a new stable and trained on course. Can run a cheeky race but will improve. Kobaytera resumed at Grafton without an official trial where he led and finished third behind Tara Koda beaten just over a half-length. He will be better for the run but has a wide gate to overcome. Moon Sweeper is in debut. Trials have been good.

Bet: Irish Gift each-way

RACE 4

King’s Gold reared just as the gates opened and came out last. He had luck in the run when knocked down on the home turn. Good run first-up when pressured in front before finishing a close third to Lady Tulessa who had the drop on him and only ran past him late. The Astronomer sat outside the leader and winner Rich Minx when runner-up at Doomben when resuming. Back in grade, is a second-up winner and gets inn well with the 2kg claim. Hidden Melody resumed with a nice second behind Battle Of Vienna at the Gold Coast on Oct 5.

Bet: King’s Gold to win

Trapeze Artist takes the lead in the 3rd Season By Winners list with this one at @grafton_races

Airswing (3g Trapeze Artist x Miss Cosmetic)
175k buy for @mattydunnracing & @Neil_Jenkinson from @SegenhoeGroup at @mmsnippets Gold Coast

Season winner 17 for the sire.… pic.twitter.com/w9W9oBPZD9

— Breednet (@BreednetNews) October 1, 2024

RACE 5

Flee With Me had support on debut at Grafton where she was a shade slow away and settled back before closing off okay when third to race favourite Airswing over 1175m on a Heavy 10. Will be better for the experience and step up in distance should suit. Whomsonever tracked High And Marty when beaten a length-and-a-half into sixth on debut at Grafton over 1350m. Sat in the middle in a line of three when sixth at Ipswich over 1350m last start. Special Master raced greenly when fifth at Eagle Farm on debut. Will be better for the run.

Bet: Flee With Me to win

RACE 6

Miss Uchitel did a good win on the line after being held up until near the 200m when resuming at Lismore over 1320m. Closed strongly from well back when beaten a length-and-a-half into sixth behind Yellowhammer over 1400m at Grafton last start. Should appreciate the extra trip. Selfless Valour was good in her first three starts before stepping in distance and the winkers going on to beat Shoot The Diva at Ballina on Oct 6. Will be prominent again. Celebrity’s Beau was doing his best work late when runner-up behind odds-on favourite Zelgaria when resuming at Ballina on Oct 6.

Bet: Miss Uchitel to win

RACE 7

Hard To Dismiss was having her first run for a new stable when she came from midfield to finish just over a length second to Quest Of Quests on a Good 4 at Ipswich on Oct 26. The extra distance and a soft track will suit. Pisa Cake did a nice job to sit outside the leader and win on debut on the Beaumont in March. Chased hard to bridge the gap on tearaway leader Nazare’s Impact and tightened for room late when fifth at Tuncurry. Safely held in recent trials against strong opposition. Not A Guru over-raced at Warwick last start. Go on previous form.

Bet: Hard To Dismiss to win