Gold Bullion goes into Cup as last-start winner

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 22

Gold Bullion goes into Cup as last-start winner

By J. J. BOYLE Gold Bullion will be one of only two last-start winners in the field for the New Zealand Cup on Saturday. He made a late claim for attention in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s $50,000 race with a victory over 2000 m in the South Australian Jockey Club Handicap at Riccarton yesterday. Gold Bullion won with 51 kg yesterday and will not be rehandicapped for the New Zealand Cup, in which he will carry 50.5. The seven-year-old stablemate of the Canterbury Gold

Cup winner, Orchidra, won handily for Bruce Compton, coming from behind a line of horses in the straight and winning by a length and a quarter from the Hastings veteran, Kanga’s Lad. Compton will not remain at Riccarton for Cup day, and Gary Phillips will be his

substitute as Gold Bullion’s rider on Saturday. Gold Bullion. was the second favourite in a field of 12 for the first leg of yesterday’s T.A.B. double. Lucky For Some, the top fancy, tried to win from the front end but Blue Sage cut at him in the lead, and the Foxton gelding wilted to fifth. Kanga’s Lad made good headway through the pack late in the race for his second, and Firpo came wide and fast for third to salvage something for backers of South Island-trained horses. Good Way made fair headway for fourth, but he was in front of the winner 400 m out. Courageous win Judge Obadiah limped back to scale after a courageous win in the Members’ Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double. He has been bothered by

arthritis and ringbone in the last year or so, but his victory spoke volumes for his courage, and for the benefits to be gained from a course of sea bathing. Owned in Southland by Peter Smellie and his trainer, Kelvin Thompson, Judge Obadiah showed he had retained a sharp sprint when he beat all but Indigod over 1200 m at weight-for-age at Washdyke in September. He failed over a middle distance in Southland at his next start and was then freshened. “After his month off we thought he might be a bit too far for that one,” Mr Smellie said after his eight-year-old won yesterday. Spy Force, trying for his third win in as many starts this season, had to settle for second this time. He battled well to the end to shade Shardak and Lee Cadeau in a spectacular charge for the minor places.