Gosford Cup assignment for Naval College

Naval College returns to Gosford this weekend in the $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) with a possible Queensland Winter Carnival on the line for the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained gelding.

The six-year-old resumes for the second time this prep following a solid fourth in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick behind Bois D’Argent. Annabel Archibald says the horse will be fitter now and finds a suitable race shape at Gosford.

“He was fourth behind Bois D’Argent first-up in the JRA Plate, so he’ll strip fitter and up another 100 metres on a tight, leaderish track suits him as well,” Archibald said.

“We’ll see how he goes, but he’s another horse who could make his way up here.”

The stable’s other key runners, Fawkner Park and Bois D’Argent, will feature in the $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Cup (1800m) on the Gold Coast, where they will aim to replicate the stable’s recent stakes double at Eagle Farm.

Last weekend, the Archibalds celebrated wins in the Victory Stakes with Libertad and the Queensland Guineas with Depth Of Character.

Naval College’s 2023 campaign was hampered by rain-affected tracks, including a distant finish in the Hollindale Cup run on a Heavy 10. Archibald says they’ll be more selective this year.

“He doesn’t want wet ground, we probably learnt that the hard way in the Hollindale last year with him,” she said.

“But on a fast track up to a mile-and-a-half, he’s a Group horse. He’s probably not a top-line horse, but he’s a handy horse.”

Naval College has been assigned 57kg for the Gosford feature. Klondike tops the weights at 59kg, with New Endeavour carrying 58kg and Hezashocka on 57.5kg.