Jockey Michael Walker celebrates aboard Gold in Dubai after winning the Ipswich Cup. Picture: Jono Searle
Source: Supplied
SPRINTER-turned-stayer Gold In Dubai crushed rivals with a bold front-running effort in the Ipswich Cup.
Gold In Dubai was beautifully rated in front by Michael Walker and showed no signs of tiring at the end of 2150m to win the cup by more than two lengths.
Danagaze tried valiantly to haul in the leader but was comfortably held.
Top weight Our Lukas was also full of courage as he chased a third straight Ipswich Cup, but he finished with a third placing.
Gold In Dubai was known as a pure sprinter early in his career but Mornington trainer Mark Riley has noted a change in attitude in the past season.
“He did have a fall at Caulfield and for some reason that seems to have turned him around,” he said.
“All of a sudden he was relaxing in his races and easily stepped up to a middle distance.”
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Riley praised his father, Martin, and Walker for their roles in the cup success.
“We bought dad out of retirement to look after the horse up on the Sunshine Coast and he’s done a great job,” Riley said.
“And it was about the perfect ride in front from Michael.
“I sent him out with a brief to go forward early and just work it out for himself.
“We actually like the horse in front in these sorts of races because he does settle and relax better, but there looked to be speed in the race, there was a good chance something else would set the tempo.
“Once they let him make his own pace I knew he would be hard to beat.”
Gold In Dubai will run in the Caloundra Cup in a fortnight if Riley feels the five-year-old has not been too harshly treated.
Riley is also keen to have a shot at the Grafton Cup on July 14, because that is his father’s home town.
Gold In Dubai moved along at a good clip all the way to post a time of 2.12.35, just under two seconds outside the course record set by Distancia in 1987.
Danagaze briefly looked a genuine threat at the 250m.
Trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith admitted he had been concerned Danagaze was going into the cup one run short of peak condition.