Latest News

Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators

New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Machs Gold ended a losing sequence of 22 and broke an 18-month drought when he relished his role as pacemaker and won the 2130m Choices Flooring For Carpet Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Dyland Egerton-Green rated the son of Mach Three expertly and the horse revealed admirable fortitude to overcome plenty of pressure — when Dominate The Dojo challenged for the early lead and then when Mattjestic Star overraced in the breeze for much of the journey.

Machs Gold, second fancy at $4.70, covered the final 800m in 57.3sec. and won by just under a length from the $4 favourite Regal Scribe, who trailed the pacemaker and was blocked for a clear run until the final 80 metres.

Byford trainer Karen Thompson said that Machs Gold had been working well and that she was hoping that the gelding would put his best foot forward.

“We have had lots of trouble with his feet,” she explained. “He was troubled by a quarter crack, and he was doing things wrong. I didn’t know how he was going to handle all that pressure tonight, but he did, and Dylan said he was very good.”

Thompson and several stable clients bought Machs Gold from his Victorian owners in May 2020 after he had raced 49 times for trainer Andy Gath and his wife and star driver Kate for ten wins and 22 placings.

“My niece Kate used to drive him, and we decided to buy him when he was offered for sale,” said Thompson. Machs Gold now has had 30 starts in WA for three wins and five placings.

Machs Gold, whose previous win was in July 2020, is the fourth foal out of the Armbro Operative mare Return To Gold, who won four times from 31 starts.

Machs Gold is a full-brother to Generally Outspoken, who had 26 starts for eight wins, five placings and $69,688. She raced 19 times in WA for seven wins, including the group 3Gold Bracelet in July 2013. Machs Gold is a half-brother to Missinmemate (147 starts for 16 wins, 27 placings and $95,336) and Spellbound (44 starts for 13 wins, 16 placings and $291,155). Spellbound won three group 3 events (at Menangle, Ballarat and Melton) as a four-year-old in 2021.