Goldman digs deep in the Pakenham Cup 2024

One time Melbourne Cup favourite, Goldman has notched up his fourth win in Australia, leading throughout to take the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) under Beau Mertens.

Jumping an $8.50 chance, Goldman’s staying prowess was on show as he kicked back to deny Grand Pierro ($19) by a long head, with $3.30 betting site favourite Muramasa a long neck away in third.

Having not managed a win since beating Soulcombe by nearly three lengths in the Listed Roy Higgins Stakes (2800m) in March last year, Goldman relished the rise in trip when third-up from a spell, and Melbourne stable representative Harry Winnard was thrilled with his performance.

“That was absolutely brilliant, you know Gai and Adrian have done a brilliant job with him…It’s been a long time coming for him; he had a bit of a dry spell but that’s brilliant,” Winnard said.

“His work recently has been absolutely brilliant. He worked last week, he did a great bit of work and we were happy with him coming into this. Gai was very happy.”

Beau Mertens executed the pre-race instructions perfectly, but admitted the Pakenham straight was a long one.

“He was always in front. I was pretty confident at the 100 (metres) he was going to hold because Grand Pierro came up beside me and really tested him. But my bloke really dug deep. He was strong,” Mertens said.

“I quickened up in the straight and I just had a lovely run, I got a bit excited. But it is a long straight here at Pakenham so I wasn’t counting my pennies too early.”

“We spoke to Gai this morning, and basically her only instructions were: ‘Give it a Gai Waterhouse ride.’ So, it’s pretty simple when she wants that done, and she presented the horse in great order for me to do so.”

“Once I jumped and got to the front, I just had a very enjoyable time and, just built from the 800 and in typical Waterhouse fashion, they kept running.”