Wheres The Gold (NZ) Powers to Group One Success in Tasmania Cup

 

Wheres The Gold (NZ) (Somebeachsomewhere) produced a powerful staying performance to justify his hot favouritism for the Group One Tasmania Cup at Hobart on Saturday night.

There was no stopping the NZB Standardbred graduate, especially with driver Mark Pitt taking no risks with the star pacer in Tasmania’s biggest race.

Wheres The Gold was purchased for $47,500 by Stonewall Stud from the Hollis & Robertson Equine Services draft at the 2020 National Yearling Sales at Karaka.

The four-year-old won three races for Stonewall Stud trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer during a short New Zealand career.

Wheres The Gold was then purchased by a big group of Australian owners who enjoyed racing’s ultimate thrill on Saturday night – watching their New Zealand bred run to Group One success.

The now Victorian based pacer took hot form to the Tasmania Cup, having won five of his six Australian starts for leading trainer Emma Stewart.

Wheres The Gold made it six from seven when powering to victory courtesy of a heady Mark Pitt drive.

Pitt found a sweet spot in the one-one for his charge, but with just over a lap to go the reinsman took control of the Tasmanian feature by taking Wheres The Gold to the front.

From there, there was simply no stopping the NZB Standardbred graduate.

Pitt told Australian media after the outstanding performance he thinks Wheres The Gold can go to an elite level

“I think he can go to the top,” the reinsman said.

“You do not have to drive him tough all the time, and I think if he is up against the big boys, they will sure know he is there,” he said.

Wheres The Gold was bred and offered at the National Yearling Sales by breeder-vendor Derek Moore.

By champion sire Somebeachsomewhere, Wheres The Gold is from Moore’s broodmare gem Gold Elite (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Gold Elite could have more Group One success on her resume by Friday night with NZB Standardbred graduate Charlie Brown (NZ) (Art Major) competing in the $135,000 Group One Woodlands Stud Northern Derby (2700m) at Alexandra Park.

Luckless in recent outings, Charlie Brown looks a live chance in New Zealand’s first classic race of 2023 for trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn.

The Dunns’ Diamond Racing Stables purchased the three-year-old for $75,000 when he was also offered by Moore through the Hollis & Robertson Equine Services draft at the 2021 National Yearling Sales at Karaka.

Moore also sold an Always B Miki colt from Gold Elite at the 2022 National Yearling Sales at Karaka, with the yearling purchased by Clear View Trading Partnership.