Making the step into Class One for the first time is never easy but few horses make the transition off a platform as spectacular as Golden Harvest’s lead-up victory on the way to the Happy Valley Trophy (1,200m) on Thursday night.
The Tony Millard-trained bay showed some ability in his first three starts in Class Four early last season but nothing that promised his deeds since a gelding operation.
Golden Harvest (Umberto Rispoli) returned from that surgery a different animal, charging through his classes with four wins and an unlucky second from just five outings and that’s what has brought him to the top grade this time.
Most of those wins have seen him deliver a blinding turn of acceleration to put his races away quickly, but Golden Harvest’s supporters had quite a bit more to worry about last start.
Dropped to the rear from an outside draw, the gelding had a tempo to suit running on but when Rispoli turned Golden Harvest for home and went for runs through the field, he found plenty of bodies in his way.
Golden Harvest had to check more than once as he ducked and weaved but still was able to claim the lead in the final 50m and win with quite a bit more in reserve.
Unlike most horses climbing in grade, Golden Harvest doesn’t get a weight drop in the Happy Valley feature, but there is little doubt that he has the requisite talent to make the higher grade.
As is so often the case in higher grade races, Tony Cruz has the keys to the pace, with California Bounty and Bullish Friend the go-forward horses, so Golden Harvest may not get as competitive a lead tempo as last time but his better draw should cancel that out.
From barrier four, there is no reason why Rispoli would be getting back to last this time and Golden Harvest has shown he is tactically versatile enough to sit handier when the draw allows.
