David Vandyke will use Warwick Farm barrier trial to ready Gypsy Goddess for the $10m Golden Eagle
Trainer David Vandyke is taking an unorthodox path to the Golden Eagle with stable star Gypsy Goddess.
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Gypsy Goddess is contesting a crucial barrier trial on Tuesday as part of trainer David Vandyke’s audacious bid to set the mare for a first-up win in the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens next week.
Vandyke has entered Gypsy Goddess for a 1200m heat on the Warwick Farm course proper with race jockey Willie Pike in the saddle.
Trainer Chris Waller’s Hinged, the Golden Eagle favourite, and stablemate Fangirl are also contesting separate trials ahead of next week’s big race.
Gypsy Goddess hasn’t raced since winning the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in June but it has always been Vandyke’s plan to go first-up into the Golden Eagle.
“The mare has travelled down well to Sydney well, she’s in a good place, she looks well and is nice and fit,’’ Vandyke said.
“I won’t be able to come down for the trial as I had a number of runners in the Sunshine Coast barrier trials (Tuesday) so I will be very interested to hear what Willie has to say after the trial.’’
Vandyke is prepared to do the unorthodox as he showed when he sent Yankee Rose into the 2016 Golden Slipper first-up from a spell only for the filly to run a very good second to Capitalist.
“I’m happy to go into the Golden Eagle with ‘Gypsy’ first-up,’’ Vandyke said. “It’s funny, she only has to run third and it would be my biggest payday.’’
The Golden Eagle’s monstrous prizemoney offers $1m for the minor placegetter while the winner earns a massive $5,250,000.
Vandyke launched his stable’s Sydney spring campaign on The Everest Day with talented sprinter Weona Smartone which finished a close third to Rocketing By in the Sydney Stakes.
“It was a great run by Weona Smartone,’’ Vandyke said.
“We’ve decided to keep him in Sydney and we will look at the Nature Strip Stakes and then The Hunter.’’
Meanwhile, trainer John O’Shea is taken with how well Waihaha Falls has come through his luckless fourth in the Sydney Stakes.
“He should nearly have won,’’ O’Shea said.
“We are looking to aim him at The Hunter if he gets a run.’’
#Trainer Joe Pride revealed Stockman has pulled up well after his St Leger win and will have one more start prior to the Melbourne Cup.
“I’m going to run Stockman in the Rosehill Gold Cup (October 29) and then send him down for the Melbourne Cup,’’ Pride said.
Originally published as David Vandyke will use Warwick Farm barrier trial to ready Gypsy Goddess for the $10m Golden Eagle
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