Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Bunbury horseman Bob Mellsop has no peer as a trainer of square gaiters, and his latest trotting star Hold That Gold continued his splendid form and notched his sixth win in a row when Deni Roberts drove him to a comfortable victory in the $21,000 You’ve Got The Touch Trot over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mellsop has enjoyed great success with a long line of star trotters this century, many of whom have, like Hold That Gold, chalked up significant winning streaks.
“Hold That Gold still has a way to go challenge for the title as my best trotter,” said Mellsop, who considers Lord Liam as his finest square gaiter.
Lord Liam won 19 times for Mellsop, and in 2019 he won eight in a row. “He also won four in a row and three in a row, as well,” he said. Lord Liam had 47 starts for Mellsop for 19 wins, 16 seconds and five thirds.
Mellsop considers that Hold That Gold ranks behind his best trotters, Lord Liam, Dave Star, Drop Of Gin and Sun Of Zola, but has the ability continue his winning sequence and move up the list of his top-flight performers.
Dave Star won 17 races for Mellsop, including five in a row in 2007; Drop Of Gin’s nine wins for the stable include four in a row in 2007; and Sun Of Zola’s 19 starts for Mellsop produced eleven wins (four in a row) and five placings before he was sold to continue his career in America.
Other quality trotters prepared by Mellsop include Beau Brummell (winner of the 2014 Trotters Cup), Papa Razzi (34 starts for 12 wins and ten placings), Always A Dreamer (12 wins), Gee Invasion (five wins from ten starts), Baby Jack (seven wins), Sammy Charles (six wins) and Taimate Angus (six wins).
“Hold That Gold will not contest the Trotters Cup on January 31 because he will be handicapped off 50m,” said Mellsop. “His next run will be in the $31,000 Trotters Sprint, a mobile event in a fortnight’s time.”
The New South Wales-bred Hold That Gold won at three of his 28 Victorian starts before entering Mellsop’s stable, with his first 21 WA starts resulting in 13 wins and four second placings.
“Hold That Gold’s biggest asset is his gate speed, and he loves having company up there (when he is in front), and the more they sit outside him, the more he likes it,” said Mellsop. “He has always had the ability, and his improvement is due a great deal to his gaining in confidence.”
Hold That Gold was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 3 barrier. Roberts sent him straight to the front and he ambled through the lead time in 40.6sec. before dawdling opening quarters of 33.4sec. and 31.3sec. with $11 chance Patched in the breeze.
The tempo increased with final 400m sections of 29sec. and 29.7sec. and Hold That Gold won by just over a half-length from Patched.
“Earlier, he was stopping before the line, but now he is running through the line very well,” said Roberts. “We got away with some nice (slow) quarters tonight, and he has got the respect of the others.”