Home of Racing interviewer Gabrielle Englebrecht has a strong chance in the Fred Cooper Cup at Goulburn (Race 7) today with a gelding named after an old French brothel, L’Academie De Joie.
The Warwick Farm trainer has aimed the 5 year old at a race named in the honour of a long time club stalwart, Fred Cooper, a winner of the prestigious Simon Nivison Award for services to country racing.
L’Academie De Joie ran 4th over 1400m at Kembla last start beaten only 1.6 lengths, and the gelding has improved since then according to Englebrecht.
While unplaced in two 1600m runs, both in Sydney, Englebrecht said it wasn’t the distance that beat him.
“We’ve had to get him up to the 1600 metres gradually,” she said. “His pedigree suggests he’ll get it and I’ve got no worries he will.”
With fine weather in Goulburn, the track has been rated a Dead 4 with penetrometer 4.60. The rail is out 4.5m for the entire track.
By Owens Wong
