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| Rowan Anderson |
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Godolphin’s pair of raiders in Group One winner Kementari and Group Three 4YO Vilana failed to fire in the Group Three The Gold Rush, yesterday.
Kementari had been sent to run the race specifically with Jamie Kah on board finishing seventh, and Vilana, piloted by Ben Melham finished towards the end of the pack only beating home two of its rivals.
Formerly the AJ Scahill Stakes, the AUD $1.5 million Group Three attracted five interstate-trained runners in what turned out to be a fiercely fought contest.
As the gates flew open to run the 1400 metre trip the pack was bunched up for most of the journey until with 350m left of the trip Massimo hit the lead with the pace quickening and eventual winner The Astrologist coming through the middle to win by the tiniest of margins on the line (0.06 length).
It was a win for the ages by the William Pike mount prepared by Leon & Troy Corstens, with the Chris Parnham-trained Kissonallforcheeks running second.
It was another second place in a row that Kissonallforecheeks would have to settle with after taking silver spot in the Winterbottom and having been backed heavily as favourite for the Gold Rush.
William Pike was proud and ecstatic after the win as it heralded a return to form for the local Western Australian hero referred to as ‘The Wizard of the West’.
“I have been lacking a bit of that over the carnival. Maybe that is just sour grapes because I haven’t been winning as many as I want,” Pike told media post-race.
“That was what I was keen to do. I didn’t want any hard luck stories – he is a wind-up horse. That is his asset, so I wanted to use it. He kicked off the bend really well and I knew I was in with a great sight there.”
The win was made even more surprising after the gelded son of Zoustar ran eighth in a disappointing run in the Winterbottom a fortnight ago, his debut start in Western Australia.
The James Cummings-trained Paulele would triumph in that Group One for Godolphin but this time around the tables were turned on the global training powerhouse.
By Rowan Anderson