Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from The Coast day

News Corp racing expert Mitch Cohen has analysed all the action from Saturday’s Gosford stand-alone meeting.

Hidden Achievement (green) and Sarapo (yellow) both deserve following. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images.

Daily Telegraph racing expert Mitch Cohen has run the rule over Saturday’s The Coast meeting and found a few he reckons are worth following.

FIVE TO FOLLOW

SARAPO (2nd, race 2)

Stablemate Hidden Achievement certainly deserves following after winning the 2YO event but you’d have to expect this bloke has even more improvement given he was on debut. Trainer Chris Waller has two nice colts on his hands.

Hidden Achievement makes it look effortless at Gosford!

Adam Hyeronimus gets an early race-to-race double! ✌️@cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/fxJvCluCGq

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

HURSTVILLE ZAGREB (2nd, race 4)

His unbeaten record was blemished but trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton would have loved what they saw from him first-up. He’s got a Queensland Derby nomination and is going to appreciate getting up in trip.

DUVANA (3rd, race 4)

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus was forced to go back to the inferior ground on the inside with the Chris Waller-trained galloper doing his best work late. This colt is building towards a big performance.

🐉 Enter The Dragon just holds on and wins in a fiery finish at Gosford!@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/Iu6PeLhXIC

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

ACCREDITED (5th, race 9)

He didn’t race with a lot of room late in the race on unsuitable soft conditions but was only beaten by half a length. It was a great return and tipping he can go close on firmer ground next time.

KING OF ROSEAU (2nd, race 10)

He was doing his best work late behind Raikkonen. Runner-up at his past two starts now, a win for this Peter Snowden-trained galloper isn’t far away.

Raikkonen makes it look easy in the last at Gosford! 👏@SchofieldChad | @BBakerRacingpic.twitter.com/HtGbuc8faj

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

STEWARDS SAY

Sequista (race 2): Sustaining multiple lacerations to its off-hind leg in transit. Will require veterinary clearance before racing or trialling again.

Tiberius (race 2): Failed to close off in the straight gave the impression that the horse may have come to the end of its preparation. A post-race veterinary examination did not reveal any abnormalities but he will now be spelled.

Engine Room (race 4): Continued to hang out in the middle stages and made the turn very wide from the 600m before hanging out in the home straight. He will be required to trial before racing again.

Cormac T (race 5): A late scratching after becoming fractious in the gates, resulting in its near-hind leg becoming cast over the back gate. Was found to be 1/5 lame with abrasions to his near-hind leg.

You Wahng (race 8): Jockey Andrew Gibbons reported she made an abnormal respiratory noise passing the 600m and from this point began to weaken. The filly undergo a full veterinary assessment, including an endoscopic examination.

CRUNCH TIME

Sarapo (race 2): Only had one runner behind him at the 600m before surging home to run the fastest final three furlongs of the race while covering more ground than any runner. His final 600m was 35.04 seconds.

Miss Jennifer (race 6): She was close to 10 lengths off the leader when flashing home from last with a clear race best last 600m of 33.48 seconds. With clear running in the straight, she could have gone faster.

Know Thyself (race 8): Ran a race best 11.76 split between the 1400m to the 1200m was decisive in allowing Ash Morgan settle outside the lead. He got home with a last 600m of 35.87 to win the race.

Asgoodassobergets (race 5): The most dominant winner on the card made his move from just off the speed at the 600m, clocking the best final three furlongs. He was the only horse to break 35 seconds on the run home, finishing off in 34.97.

Asgoodassobergets charges home and wins at Gosford! 💨@NockBraith | @ANeashamRacingpic.twitter.com/VtLreTzYUF

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

TRACK TALK

“Every preparation he’s improved as a racehorse and there’s no reason why that won’t be the case again when he starts off his Everest campaign.” Michael Hawkes on Briasa.

“I felt a little bit vulnerable a furlong and a half out but he dug in late and strongest late.” Ash Morgan on Know Thyself.

“We might have a wet week this week in Scone so if it’s a heavy track we might be tempted to go around.” Trainer Paul Messara on the prospect of a Scone Cup for Know Thyself.

“He’s never won by big margins but today he was able to put them away well over this trip so it has opened up more options for him going forward.‘’ Adrian Bott on Les Vampires.

“He is a very nice horse. Six furlong probably isn’t his distance but he was just too good for them and is only on the way up.” Adam Hyeronimus on Hidden Achievement.

“I saw the money coming for him, it’s definitely not mine.” Richard Litt after Barber’s win.

Barber with a gutsy win in a tight finish in the Takeover Target Stakes!@G1TySchilpic.twitter.com/VUs7HSF0F0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

YOU CAN BET ON IT

The Coast

Know Thyself was well supported from an opening price of $4.60 and was $3.50 to $2.80 on race day. Big bets were taken of $5000 @ $2.90, $3000 @ $3.10 and $2.90, $2250 @ $2.80 and multiple of $2000 @ $2.80.

Gosford Gold Cup

Punters got it right with Les Vampires backed from $4.40 into $3 when winning the Gosford Gold Cup. A $2000 bet @ $3 landed with multiple $1000 bets @ $3.30 and $3.20.

Takeover Target Stakes

A plunge was landed when Barber scored in the Takeover Target after opening at $26 during the week. He was $11 into $8 on race day.

THE SCHEDULE

Monday: Murwillumbah, Quirindi

Tuesday: Taree, Wellington

Wednesday: Kensington

Thursday: Hawkesbury

Friday: Albury, Scone.

Saturday: Scone, Kembla Grange, Tuncurry

Sunday: Parkes, Sapphire Coast

RON DUFFICY’S GOSFORD SNAPSHOT

RUN OF THE DAY

Les Vampires lifted the bar again winning the Cup with a gritty win.

Not only is he looking a nice prospect for the Big Dance in the Spring he might even be more exciting stepping up in distance again.

FORGET THEY RAN

Plenitude hit a snag on the home turn and should have got a whole lot closer in the Highway while Winning Proposal bombed the start and did a great job to get as close as she did having her first run for the new stable.

THE BLACK BOOK

Duvana and Hurstville Zagreb are both early in their campaigns and are worth following out of the mile 3yo race.

The others to catch the eye were Warnie who went well with improvement to come and Raikkonen who is a good type.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Alysha Collett confirmed she is as strong a lightweight jockey as anyone in Australia with two magnificent winning rides on McKeon and Lulumon.

Originally published as Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from The Coast day