Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond notched their fourth victory in the $50,000 Catalano San Simeon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Stuart McDonald drove $8.60 chance Golden Lode to a decisive win in the 2130m feature event.
Golden Lode became the second three-year-old to win, in the 13 runnings of the San Simeon, following the success of Patronus Star, prepared by the Bonds, in 2020. The Bonds also won with Ima Connoisseur in 2015 and Socrates in 2022.
McDonald praised the toughness of Golden Lode after the New Zealand-bred gelding, owned by Team Bond, had surged home from seventh in the middle stages, starting a three-wide burst 1050m from home and racing wide until forging the front at the 390m mark and winning by a half-length from $126 outsider The Beaudster, who was eighth at the bell and flashed home, out four wide.
Three-year-old Tualou, driven by Deni Roberts for the Bond stable, was tenth early and then followed the three-wide run of Golden Lode to finish a good third as the $4.60 equal favourite with Mandown.
Mandown, Hale Saint Louis and Caliente met with interference in the home straight racing for the bell, and they dropped back to the rear.
Insta Gator worked hard in the breeze before Jocelyn Young sent the four-year-old to the front with 450m to travel. He held on to finish a close fourth, with the pacemaker Montana Glory faded to finish ninth.
McDonald used similar tactics to win with Golden Lode a fortnight earlier, and the Always B Miki gelding looks set for a bright career. He said that he had taken heed of the advice of Roberts to drive Golden Lode “tough.”
“Before I won with Golden Lode two weeks earlier Deni advised me to drive the gelding with confidence and not to be afraid to go at the 1200m,” said McDonald. “I carried that confidence into this week’s race, and he was able to do it by himself, without a cart-up.
“In the back straight (in the final lap) Golden Lode gave me a great feel. I gave him a flick (with the whip) and he wanted to go. And then he held the others at bay, and there were some classy animals in the field. He was very impressive.”
McDonald has now driven Golden Lode six times for four wins, and the gelding has earned $121,215 from ten wins and nine placings from 26 starts.