Photo: Grant Peters
Four-year-old gelding Gold Bullion (Savabeel) dug deep to stave off all challengers when leading throughout to land the Listed Seven Members Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
The son of Savabeel was ridden to victory by Regan Bayliss and looks set to leave his mark on the Queensland Summer Carnival as he chases further stakes success.
Now the winner of three of his 14 starts with a further five placings, Gold Bullion was second-up after finishing third over 1400m on the Kensington track a fortnight ago.
“He was really brave today,” stable representative Juliet Partridge said. “He’s had a pretty easy week up here in Queensland and has just been working nicely enjoying the warm weather.
“He is a lovely horse that is very straight forward and is glowing in the coat.”
Partridge indicated Gold Bullion would be aimed at the A$500,000 The Wave (1800m) at the Gold Coast on January 4.
Winning rider Regan Bayliss was full of praise for Gold Bullion who narrowly defeated Junipal and Poetic Drama.
“It was a really good tough win,” Bayliss said. “We got a lovely lead and he got into a beautiful rhythm for me and I just upped the tempo from the 600m and tried to get them chasing a little bit.
“Junipal headed me with 100m to go, but to my guy’s credit he pinned the ears back and hit the line strongly.
“He was only second-up today and I think at his next start he will step out to 1800m which will suit him even better.
“He has come back a lot better this preparation and the sky is the limit.”
Raced by a syndicate and sporting the colours of the China Horse Club, Gold Bullion is by Waikato Stud’s champion sire Savabeel and out of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) winner Gold Rush, a daughter of So You Think.
