Australia Day Cup Calls for 2018 Gosford Cup Winner Singing

Race favourite Singing continued his purple patch of form as an eight-year-old, the Kris Lees-trained veteran racing away for a dominant 2018 Gosford Cup win thanks to a masterful ride by Glyn Schofield that could see him stepped-up to the Australia Cup next start.

Singing (outside) was impressive winning the 2018 Gosford Cup by three lengths on way to a possible Australia Day Cup run. Photo: Steve Hart.

Coming off back-to-back Doomben wins in December over similar distance, Lees’ French import kept the success coming saluting for the punters as the firming $3.10 favourite in Thursday’s Listed $150,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m).

Last seen saluting by a runaway three lengths in the Listed (2200m) on December 30, the Singspiel entire made it three on the trot by a similarly dominant winning margin.

Schofield had to settle for a luckless third in the previous race on Epidemic in the Gosford Guineas, but wouldn’t be found caught-up for a run again in the Gosford Cup results.

The top hoop went for the win a long way out, the favourite dashing to the front around the rails and heading for home before the top of the straight after beating off a challenge by Evangelist.

Singing was far too good and crossed three lengths ahead of the brave Gerald Ryan-trained defending champion Red Excitement ($4.50), another evergreen eight-year-old who tried hard under a hefty 60.5kg from a mid-field position.

“He really impressed me this horse,” Schofield said post-win.

“When he got to the lead, it was when the pace was starting to settle.

“As soon as he got there …he was attacked again.

“I just made sure I kept him rolling…very strong win.

“He’s an easy horse to ride, the good ones normally are.

“He’ll be contesting a lot better races.

“He actually had a little bit of a look 50 from home. It was cosy….a very, very comfortable win.”

In third rounding out this summer’s Gosford Cup trifecta was the Fred Cowell-trained local hope Mighty Lucky ($5) who finally went one better after four straight fourth place efforts on the trot in the lead-up.

It was hard to find an early leader after the first 300m in the Gosford Cup, Schofield sliding across on Singing who sat second behind the Chris Waller-trained Hogmanay.

The top fancy went to the lead at the back part of the track, while Red Excitement was relaxed travelling well middle of the field as the pace slackened right off.

Last year’s champ presented as the only danger once Singing was off and away, but couldn’t close the gap on the barnstorming winner who continued his zest for racing with the big win.

Lees was thrilled post-race to reward the patient connections of Singing, the horse finally getting to his best form after a couple of years plagued with feet issues.

“It’s a great thrill…very satisfying,” he said.

“He’s had a lot of troubles.

“He’s had a lot of issues and feet troubles…but he’s found his form now and it was really pleasing to see.

“He’s pretty fit and he had to be today they served it up to him and he had to do all the work form the wide gate.”

Lees said Singing was a horse that he kept in constant work and that he would now consider a run in the Listed $150,000 Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm on January 26.

“He’s been in the stable for 18 months now…I don’t spell him,” Lees explained.

“When he’s in form you loathe to stop because of the issues he’s had.

“We may have a look at the Australia Day Cup Friday week but we’ll just see how he comes through today.”

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2018 Gosford Cup Results & Finishing Order

Gosford Race 6 – 18/01/2018

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Weight	SP
1	6	SINGING (FR)	Kris Lees	Glyn Schofield	–	9	55.5kg	$2.90F
2	2	RED EXCITEMENT	Gerald Ryan	Brenton Avdulla	3.04L	8	60.5kg	$4.40
3	3	MIGHTY LUCKY	Fred Cowell	Chris O’Brien	5.43L	5	57.5kg	$4.80
4	5	DEE I CEE (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Ms Rachel King (a)	5.72L	7	55.5kg	$13
5	4	MONTAUK	Chris Waller	Mathew Cahill	6.02L	3	57.5kg	$14
6	1	DESTINY’S KISS	Joseph Pride	Corey Brown	7.04L	1	61kg	$20
7	8	HOGMANAY	Chris Waller	Christian Reith	11.93L	6	54kg	$6.50
8	7	SLOW PACE (USA)	Kris Lees	Andrew Gibbons	13.71L	4	54kg	$101
9	10	EVANGELIST (GB)	Lea Selby	Ms Chelsea Ings (a)	17.21L	10	54kg	$201
10	9	PARAGON	John Sargent	Tim Clark	22.25L	2	54kg	$41