Karina Britton’s brilliant littermates Wow and Ad Astra, a trio from 2019 Cup winning trainer Peter Lagogiane, and last Saturday’s Group 3 Christmas Gift winner Incapacitated, headline the heats of the Woy Woy Poultry Gosford Gold Cup this Sunday.
Four heats of the Cup have been drawn with the winners and runners-up each advancing to the Group 2, $40,000 to the winner final on January 3, 2021.
Wow, the Goulburn Cup in October, has been flawless since resuming. A resounding win at Goulburn was followed by a stunning 29.48s win at Wentworth Park, then last Saturday, he overcame trouble early to real in Ebby Infrared and win again in the city in 29.76s, taking his overall record to 21 starts for 12 wins and six placings.
Wow is drawn in heat one of the Cup in box 5 and will clash with Lismore Cup winner Fire Legend (box 6), the speedy Drink Moet (box 4), and TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Handsome Prince’s brother, Ava Wine (box 8).
Wow’s brother Ad Astra has been just as impressive since resuming after finishing second to Wow in the Goulburn Cup.
He has raced at the same three meetings, winning all three, at Goulburn in 24.44s the best of the day, then at Wentworth Park in 29.78s and 29.80s.
He is drawn in heat four and will exit box 3, outside the consistent Knight’s Page (box 2) and the speedy Hudson Bolt (box 1). Also of note in the heat are Wyndsor Rose (box 5), Nangar Rust (box 6) and Victorian Kipling (box 8).
Lagogiane, who won the Cup with the Gosford track record holder Beast Unleased in 2019, and was third with Double Back in 2020, will have Ava Wine, Sanctify and Princess Riot engaged in the heats.
Ava Wine followed two strong runner-up placings at Wentworth Park - one behind Ad Astra - with an impressive win at headquarters last start in 29.85s..
Princess Riot has drawn heat three and in box two, alongside the smart Zulu Warlord (box 1). She was also an impressive Wentworth Park winner last weekend in 29.80s and is drawn to be a big threat again.
Drawn on the other side of Princess Riot is the match race winner from Saturday Incapacitated who posted 29.66s figures in taking out the Christmas Gift.
He has never raced at Gosford but is in peak form and must go down as one of the main hopes, along with Aston Lee (box 8) an impressive 29.41s winner on Tuesday at Gosford.
Sanctify, now owned by Shakeel Latimer who also owns Handsome Prince, has had two runs back from a break and was placed at Wentworth Park first up then third to Aston Lee when having a look around Gosford on Tuesday night.
He has drawn box six in a strong heat with many chances including Unison (box 3), Seen Around (box 1), Jet Jackson (box 5) and Aston Zodiac in (box 8), who will be chasing back to back Gosford Cups for his trainer Geoff Grimwood who won with Kid Candle in 2020.
