Australian Bloodstock will leave the decision to trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace as to the majors Gold Trip tackles this spring, but they wouldn’t baulk at fronting up in all three spring features again with Saturday’s breathtaking Turnbull Stakes winner.
Last year, Gold Trip was the first horse since Humidor in 2017 to contest the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup and Jamie Lovett said that option would again be explored.
Lovett said Gold Trip was locked in at a chance to defend his crown in the Melbourne Cup, but a decision was yet to be made if he contests the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate or both races prior.
“He did all three last year and whether you tempt fate and try and do that again or you just have a good crack at one of the lead-ups,” he explained.
“It’s funny with a stallion, he sort of reacted well to the back-up last year, well, albeit in the Cox Plate he only went three-quarter pace the last two furlongs and had no luck.
“The perfect set-up could be the Cox Plate into a Melbourne Cup?
“He’s shown he is a superior staying horse, so it would be silly not to put the Melbourne Cup as his grand final because he’s shown last year, the further in ground, he has a beautiful set of lungs on him, and he loves Flemington.
“If he got to Flemington in a good spot, he certainly has to be a top-five chance, so you’ve got to head that way.
“Historically, a good horse can win a Caulfield Cup at the top of the weights, but my gut feel Soulcombe, West Wind Blows and Without a Fight just meet him so much better at the weights.
“I don’t know if we could give them four kilos and beat them at Caulfield?”
Having been previously hampered by troublesome feet, Lovett is confident those issues are behind the seven-year-old, backed up by his first victory on good ground on Saturday.
“His feet are good and he’s just moving so well,” he said.
“We gave him a good break after the autumn, and he grew some toe out and that’s been the good thing.
“It’s probably a bit over-played he is a wet tracker, he just used to feel those firm tracks because of his feet but, hopefully, now that is all behind him.
“One of the runs we bought him off in France was on better ground, so we always knew he could go on it.
“We always knew he was a very good horse, but I thought that was a world-class race yesterday and those international form lines were pretty good.”
Gold Trip is set to come up against a newcomer to Australian Bloodstock’s ranks in Lastotchka, who has entered quarantine in Newmarket and set to contest the Melbourne Cup.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will prepare the French mare and are working to secure a rider at 51kg
“We are in a pretty good spot, they are only just ticking her over at Newmarket and will get to Weribee and have a good gallop,” Lovett said.
“But she gets in just off the limit, but I like her form lines and she’s shown at 3100 metres she’s effective and gives herself a good chance.
“I am looking forward to her, she will be a knockout chance for sure.”
Lastotchka is a $21 chance for the Melbourne Cup.
Gold Trip is the same price at $7 for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
– racing.com
