DYNASTIES AND GYPSY GODDESS RULE IN THE BRACELET
By Graham Potter | Saturday, May 7, 2022
A month after running second in the Group 1 Australian Oaks over 2400m in very heavy going, Gypsy Goddess kicked off her Queensland Winter Carnival campaign by tackling the Group 2 Gold Coast Bracelet on May 7,going back 600m in distance to the 1800m trip.
On the back of her Group 1 form in Sydney, Gypsy Goddess started as a $2 favourite with Willie Pike, who first had ridden the daughter of Tarzino in the Group 1 Vinery, staying aboard the three-year-old for the third time in a row, cementing his place as Gypsy Goddess’s regular rider.
Again, there was a heavy track for the runners to have to deal with (a heavy 9).
Gypsy Goddess had the extreme outside draw of the field (barrier 12) and Pike took her back after the break and crossed to the inside before settling in last place, a good eight to nine lengths off the leader as Canadian Dancer (the $4.20 second favourite) set the early gallop.
For the most part, the runners held their respective positions until well into the sweep to the home turn.
At that stage the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Dynasties ($9) was also very much in the second half of the field (being held wide), racing a couple of lengths in advance of Gypsy Goddess.
When James McDonald started a forward move on Dynasties … eventually swinging nine horses wide into the home straight … Pike had Gypsy Goddess tracking that one every step of the way.
And that pattern remained in play all of the way to the line as Dynasties and Gypsy Goddess quickened almost in unison … now extending well down the centre of the track … and they proceeded to steadily reel in and pass all of the ten runners who had been in front of them on straightening.
Dynasties got to the front with 100m left to run and with Gypsy Goddess in tow.
Gypsy Goddess, with her sustained run, was taking ground off Dynasties over the concluding stages … the margin would come down to just 0.50 lengths at the line … but the fact that Dynasties had got first run on Gypsy Goddess meant she had stolen a decisive advantage which she was good enough to successfully defend right to the end.
It was a tremendous run by Gypsy Goddess, particularly when seen in context, knowing that this was effectively just a preparation run for her Grand Final, which will be in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm on June 4.
That’s five wins from eight starts now with two seconds and one third placing also in the bank.
The proud record of Gypsy Goddess.continues ...
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On the same Saturday that Gypsy Goddess finished second behind Dynasties, Sacred Oath finished second at Ipswich. The gelding, racing second-up after winning a Maiden Handicap over 1200m when resuming, stepped up in both distance and class (to a BM62 Handicap over 1350m). He started as a $1.80 favourite but, although chasing gamely, came home 1.80 lengths behind the winner River Rocket.
The next day (Sunday May 8), Up To Me, who was having only his second career start, showed good improvement on his debut outing to claim second place in a Colts, Geldings and Entires Maiden Plate over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast.
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