No delay for Gold Help

Craig Brennan
Friday, January 15, 2010

Despite holding up the start, Gold Help then was on his best behaviour in taking out the $55,000 Class 4 Div. 2 Stakes over 1400m on Friday night.

After being placed in his barrier, Gold Help played up and in the process removed the earmuffs, blinkers and bridle.

He was removed from the gates where the gear was replaced. Fortuneately the remaining runners all stood calmly in the gates waiting for Gold Help to rejoin them.

Gold Help (Vlad Duric) is home and dry in Race 3 on Friday night.

A little slow to jump from his middle of the line-up draw, Gold Help settled just beyond midfield but according to jockey Vlad Duric was nice and relaxed during the race.

When clear in the straight, Duric bought Gold Help towards the centre of the track where he set sail after the leader Solid Impact which had opened up a commanding lead.

Under strong riding from Duric, Gold Help wore down Solid Impact (Koh Teck Huat) to win by three-quarters-of-a-length with Best Echo (Sam Subien) a half-length away third.

Winning trainer Steven Burridge said Gold Help was a galloper with loads of potential but a “ratbag” mentally.

“On his day he is a good horse,” said Burridge. “However he can do a lot of things wrong.

“He can be slow out, prove a handful at the barriers, but on his day he shows a stack of ability.

“He’s now won six races and his prizemoney is now up around the $300,000 mark.”

Duric described Gold Help as a hot-head who can gallop when he puts his mind to it.

“We were a little slow to jump but then we got a really good run through the race,” said Duric. “When I pulled him out in the straight he really knuckled down well.”

Gold Help is an Australian bred five-year-old by Dangerous from the Lake Coniston mare Poniad and is owned by the Eight Eight One Stable.

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