Trainer Bates eyes success with his golden star

TRAINER David Bates is optimistic Invincible Gold can make a winning return to racing at Pioneer Park in Alice Springs on Sunday.

TRAINER David Bates is optimistic Invincible Gold can make a winning return to racing at Pioneer Park in Alice Springs on Sunday.

The seven-year-old gelding has not raced since July when he finished a disappointing ninth of 12 at Fannie Bay. His last win was in April 14, 2012, when he saluted with Jan Cameron in the saddle in a 1600m event.

It was the last of five wins on the trot in a four-month spell for the gelding, who has now earned more than $100,000 in stakes.

That victory march included the 2012 St Patrick's Day Cup.

Cameron will once again reunite with Invincible Gold at Pioneer Park on Sunday in the Average Benchmark over 1000m.

"He goes well fresh and at any distance," Bates said. 

Meanwhile, Bates' star in the making, Enchanted Boy, is unlikely to race again this year with the 2014 St Patrick's Day Cup the target. 

APPRENTICE jockey Kacie Connor has a full book of rides at Pioneer Park on Sunday but she has played down speculation she can emulate the four winners she rode at the last meeting at the track.

Connor has three rides with trainer-husband Greg Connor and one each for Nigel Moody and Lisa Lefoe.

"They all have a chance, they are all in the mix but there are no standouts," she said.

She won last Sunday on the Moody-trained Mount Nancy in the second race before Hawk Hunter recorded a similar victory in the following event.

In race four, she guided home the Lefoe-trained Hollywood and Vine before saluting on grey galloper Saint Pulse, trained by her husband, Greg.

"I had to be patient on Hollywood and Vine because a few took off early," she said. 

DARWIN trainer Stephen Brown will run in-form galloper Post D'france in the CFV Ambassadors Handicap over 2000m at Caulfield on Saturday.

It will be the five-year-old gelding's debut at Caulfield and Brown is confident of a strong showing.

"Post D'france is bred to go two miles so there is no problem with this distance," Brown added.

Post D'france has won five of his seven starts this year, including a last-start success at Flemington over 1600m and his trainer is confident he will go well.

But regular apprentice jockey Patrick Moloney will not be on board as he has been suspended for 16 meetings.

Stephen Baster takes the ride.

The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board will hear Moloney's appeal this morning.

Moloney has also appealed against the severity of the penalty imposed when he was found guilty of careless riding on Rapid Link at Kyneton last Friday.

Meanwhile, the news on Sea Lord is positive after the gelding was scratched from Saturday's Moonee Valley meeting.

The six-year-old was struck down with pool colic last Friday and Brown had no choice but to not run him.

He will now be set for The Standish Handicap, a Group 3 sprint, at Flemington on New Year's Day.

ANOTHER in-form jockey, Darwin's Paul Shiers, usually takes a break at this time of the year mainly because of weight issues but his determination to ride on is paying off. 

Shiers, who rode two winners and a third at Fannie Bay on his return from a one-month suspension, said riding at this time of year was a pleasant and successful surprise.

"I usually go on holiday after the Darwin Cup and my weight blows out a bit," he said.

But this year he has kept his weight at about 59kg which has meant he can keep riding.

He is extremely busy, riding trackwork for Gary Clarke and Melinda Boothby before heading to his full-time job as a storeman at Rhino Industrial in Berrimah.

"I get up about 6am (for trackwork) and go to bed at about 10pm," he said. "I am also watching what I eat."

Shiers won on Yung Warrior and Dreaming of Nepal in Darwin two weeks ago.