News

Bold Return for Golden Archer

21st Jul 2012

Breednet - Tara Madgwick - Saturday, 21 July 2012

Last season's top class juvenile Golden Archer made a successful return to racing following injury, powering clear to win as he pleased at Flemington on Saturday.

The Peter Moody trained son of Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) won five of seven starts at two including three stakes events, but after just a couple of runs in the spring including a win in the Group III MRC McNeil Stakes, he was sent for a spell during which he suffered a paddock accident.

Stepping out in the 1000 metre open handicap for his first run in some 43 weeks, Golden Archer (pictured Racepix Vic) showed all of his old brilliance, accelerating swiftly to the line to win by two lengths in a tick over 58 seconds.

"He's a terrific horse. We though he was a touch soft (in condition),” said stable foreman Jeff O'Conner.

"The way the pace was on, it probably better for him to sit back off them and have the last dash at them.”

O'Conner said Golden Archer's strong return to racing provided the stable with a wealth of options for the horse during the rest of his preparation.

"Now that he has got back to form, we could probably sit back and pick our mark and look after him,” he said.

"He'll have to get his chance in the better races now.”

An $80,000 purchase from the draft of Sefton Park at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Golden Archer (pictured as a yearling) is the second foal of Group II winning Pins mare Viennetta (NZ) and has won seven of 11 starts and more than $450,000 in prizemoney.

A former Coolmore shuttler, Rock of Gibraltar remains in Ireland this year with his final Australian bred crop of foals due to be offered at the yearling sales here next year.