Picture: Trackside Photography, news.com.au
Gypsy Goddess has taken another leap towards the Gr.1 Australian Oaks with a dominant return to racing at Eagle Farm on Saturday to remain unbeaten.
On a dour day, the David Vandyke-filly was the star attraction, returning for the first time with more questions than answers over 1600m in the 3YO Handicap.
Marked as a Group 1 Australian Oaks prospect by the astute trainer, Vandyke will now travel with his unbeaten filly to Sydney for the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in a fortnight’s time before going onto the Oaks after that.
The usually reserved Vandyke was up and about following the win, even revealing he declared his filly home at the top of the straight after jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor loomed up without flinching on her.
“I went the crow at about the 400m, that was an amazing effort,” Vandyke said.
“When you think about it, she was the top weight over a mile while first up at Eagle Farm. Did she get tired? I don’t think she got warmed up.”
After scratching Gypsy Goddess from Ipswich on Wednesday, Vandyke came to Eagle Farm on Saturday looking to see her hit the line and he got even more than he bargained for.
“You come here hoping she hits the line, she’s definitely done that,” he said.
“Big lungs, big heart and my biggest worry was that she was too relaxed, she was falling asleep while we were saddling her up, of course what that does is keep her heart rate low and obviously her heart rate was pretty low that entire time.
“We will go down to Sydney at the end of next week for the Vinery and then we can’t wait for the Oaks.”
She now finds herself an outright $6 favourite for the Australian Oaks on April 9.
Gypsy Goddess is yet another quality galloper raised at Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore but the parrot-mouthed filly failed to meet her $20,000 reserve when offered as Lot 1145 in the Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Co-bred by highly-regarded veterinarian Chris Lawler, who also purchased and raced her sire Tarzino, Gypsy Goddess is out of the Redoute's Choice mare Invisible Coin.
Lawler remains in the ownership of Gypsy Goddess, racing her with a syndicate that includes Bob Jones, one of Vandyke’s biggest stable clients. -news.com.au
