The chances of a fairytale farewell at Ascot this Saturday for Damien Oliver have increased sharply after long-time Gold Rush race favourite Super Smink was left stranded as the second emergency at final declarations.
There were 19 final acceptances for Saturday’s $1.5 million Damien Oliver Gold Rush (1400m) with the three-year-old filly Super Smink coming in at number 18 on the ballot list at final acceptances in the race that has a field maximum of 16.
Craig Williams has accepted the mount on Super Smink at 52 kilograms for trainer Daniel Morton, but he now must wait to see if the race has two withdrawals before Saturday morning’s scratching deadline.
The final acceptances have re-shaped the Gold Rush market with Sportsbet, who now have Victorian galloper Ayrton the co-favourite with Super Smink at $6.50 with Oliver’s mount Munhamek at $7.
Williams also is on standby to ride $51 chance Laverrod if Super Smink does not make the final cut.
$1.5 million DAMIEN OLIVER GOLD RUSH (1400m) – FINAL ACCEPTANCES
1. DOM TO SHOOT (Sean and Jake Casey) Jarrad Noske 59kgs
2. VALOUR ROAD (Simon Miller) Chris Parnham 59kgs
3. BUSTLER (Neville Parnham) Steven Parnham 59kgs
4. MUNHAMEK (Nick Ryan) Damien Oliver 59kgs
5. RED CAN MAN (Steve Wolfe) Paul Harvey 59kgs
6. MASSIMO (Chris and Michael Gangemi) Brad Parnham 59kgs
7. COMFORT ME (Rhys Radford) Shaun McGruddy 59kgs
8. SAVATOXL (Will Savage) Ms Holly Watson 59kgs
9. HOT ZED (Lou Luiciani) Jason Whiting 59kgs
10. AYRTON (Price/Kent Jnr) Damian Lane 59kgs
11. RESTORTMAN (Michael Lane) Brad Rawiller 59kgs
12. LAVERROD (Sean and Jake Casey) Craig Williams 59kgs
13. MY BELLA MAE Dion Luciani) 57lgs
14. BABY PARIS (Colin Webster) Peter Knuckey 57kgs
15. KARLI’S KARMA (Summer Dickson) Michael Poy 57kgs
16. RIPCORD (Luke Fernie) Clint Johnston-Potter 54kgs
EMERGENCIES
17. LET’S GALAHVANT (Daniel and Ben Pearce) 59kgs
18. SUPER SMINK (Daniel Morton) Craig Williams 52kgs
19. MAGNIFICENT ANDY (Stephen Miller) 59kgs
– racing.com
