Vandyke Mare Can Strike Gold In Hollindale
- Thursday, 23 April 2015 08:07
Sydney mare Arabian Gold has been thriving in the Gold Coast sun as she prepares to post a career milestone in the Hollindale Stakes.
Arabian Gold is making her second visit to Queensland after winning the Group Two Doomben Roses and finishing second in the Group One Queensland Oaks last year.
The winner of nine races, Arabian Gold is poised to pass $1 million in earnings in Saturday's Hollindale.
Jockey Blake Shinn riding Arabian Gold
Arabian Gold is the early favourite at $4.60 as mares dominate the market on the weight-for-age race with Silent Achiever on the second line of betting at $4.80.
She is yet to win a Group One race but has turned in some good performances in the top company.
As wet weather played havoc with with Sydney's racing stables, trainer David Vandyke pulled the right rein when he elected to come to Queensland earlier than many of Arabian Gold's Hollindale rivals.
He said Arabian Gold had taken no harm from her excellent sixth to Kermadec in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 6.
"She galloped on the course proper at the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning and I was really pleased with her," Vandyke said.
Vandyke said Arabian Gold's main mission would be the Group One Doomben Cup on May 9.
Her owner Nick Moraitis won the Hollindale-Doomben Cup double with Might And Power in 1998.
"I hope Arabian Gold races on for another season. I really think she has some more good wins in her," Vandyke said.
"But with a valuable mare like her there is always a review at the end of each season."
Vandyke offered the ride on Arabian Gold to Blake Shinn but the jockey was committed to third emergency Pornichet.
"We were able to get Damien Oliver so it was a very good second choice," he said.
Vandyke is hoping for better luck at his second attempt to win the Hollindale-Doomben Cup double.
"I had Lamasery up here a few years back and he had no luck in the Hollindale and then raced a bit flat in the Doomben Cup," he said.
"The mare looks as though she will go better."
