Young star shows brilliance

Press, 1 February 1988, Page 28

Young star shows brilliance

By

J. J. BOYLE

Golden King, brilliant winner of the $lOO,OOO Jarden Mile, at Trentham on Saturday has arrived with a rush in a racing career that did not start until last September.

But his long-experi-enced Levin trainer and part-owner, Garth Ivil, believes the big chestnut would have been "history” by now if he had been campaigned as a two-year-old. Golden King was born

with a slightly offset knee, and those who back off such flaws of conformation and look elsewhere allowed Ivil to secure the son of Imposing for $20,000 at the 1986 National Sales at Trentham.

This exciting young athlete’s return for that outlay is already $146,340, and the first contribution to that total was $l9O, achieved with a fourth on the second day of the Marlborough meeting in September. Although there are

more rewarding opportunities at 1600 m for Golden King this season, Garth Ivil plans to proceed with a programme of middle distance races on both sides of the Tasman. “He has a great temperament and I can see no reason why he won’t continue to fire over more ground,” Garth Ivil said after Golden King brought up his seventh win from 11 starts on Saturday. Where he had won the Wellington Stakes from the front end, this time

Golden King settled to his race in third position. Courier Bay, starting from the inside, had been left in front, a situation his rider David Walsh did not enthuse over. The Taranaki-owned and trained top weight did not surrender his lead without a fight, but could find not nearly enough for Golden King’s challenge, then was outfinished also by Star Pride and the third favourite, Infinite Secret. “He’s a professional

sprinter, and that just wasn't enough to get him through that race today,” David Walsh said of Courier Bay’s run. The Riccarton-trained Camallino Star was given every chance in the running, but could not' quicken to be one of the main contenders, and wound up seventh. Jonny Alone, last year’s winner, showed nothing this time and was last of the 17 runners.