Golden Lode Poised to Break Through at Gloucester Park
Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred pacer Golden Lode has raced in six group feature events without placing, yet driver Deni Roberts remains optimistic about a major win. He aims to capture the $200,000 Group 1 Retravision Golden Nugget over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Race Strategy and Preparation
Trained by champions Greg and Skye Bond, Golden Lode will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier. Roberts stated:
“I’ll be trying to get out of the gate as quickly as I can, and if he leads, I’d pretty much say he will win.”
He also noted that Golden Lode’s recent runs from difficult draws have been impressive.
Season Performance
The four-year-old’s sole win this season came six starts ago, overcoming a tough position outside the backline. He defeated Gully Gum and Rockandrollartist with a solid time of 1.54.9 over 2130m, finishing the last 400m in splits of 28.7 and 28.6 seconds.
Recent Race Recap
His latest race was the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Classic over 2130m, where he started inside the back line. Golden Lode followed the pacemaker Im Lightning Banner but lost ground when the leader faded in the final lap. After being blocked for a clear run, he finished a close and unlucky fourth behind Franco Motu.
Author’s summary: Despite past challenges, Golden Lode’s promising form and ideal starting position set the stage for a potential breakthrough victory at Gloucester Park.
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