The Watson family owned South Australian nursery Mill Park is a name synonymous with serious Group I horses and in particular those bred by astute breeder Harry Perks and this winning association struck for a third time in the $2million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday when Goldrush Guru saluted to join previous winners they have produced in Rebel Raider and Warning.
Trained in Adelaide by Andrew Gluyas, Goldrush Guru stamped his ticket to the Victoria Derby with a resounding last start win in the Listed SAJC Hill Smith Stakes over 1800m on October 19.
Stepping out to the much longer staying trip of 2500m, Goldrush Guru was given a perfect ride by Jamie Kah and swept to the lead with two furlongs to run and was strong to the line winning by a length and a half over Kiwi bred roughie Scary, a son of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.
Andrew Gluyas and his former now retired training partner Leon Macdonald have had a long association with Jamie Kah, since she first started race riding back in Adelaide, so the win was all the sweeter.
"I think she rode her first black type race for us. I'm not sure what that was. But anyway, credit to her. Well done. And credit to my team as well. We work hard – most of the grindstone, we all put in blood, sweat, and tears. You' ve got to take the good with the bad. Today we had a win in Adelaide, and won a Group One here in Flemington. So, credit to all my team,” said Andrew Gluyas.
"Shout out to Molly Knowles, who's strapped him today. She travelled with the horse. You know, it was a bit nerve-wracking bringing a colt over who's a little bit raw. She's done a tremendous job with him. The team produced today and I'm very proud of everybody."
Jamie Kah had a day of ups and downs winning earlier on Another Wil, before being smashed in the face by Hurry Curry prior to the Wakeful Stakes resulting in that filly’s scratching, so she was glad to get the day back on track.
“It means everything to us. Obviously we love riding Group 1 winners, but it just makes it so much more special when it's for some fantastic people like Andrew. I used to ride for Andrew and Leon. I rode some shockers back in the day for them, so it was nice to repay them on the big stage on Derby Day,” said Kah.
"My plan was to get back on him. Couldn't hold him early. I was going to be wide and somehow found a little gap to slot into.
"Once I found the gap, he just fell asleep and gave me a beautiful run throughout.
"He won it a long way out and I could have stopped him for another lap, but he wanted to keep going. They've trained this horse to perfection.”
Not offered for sale and retained to race by his breeders the Guru Breeding Syndicate, Goldrush Guru has the overall record of four wins and three placings from eight starts with prizemoney of $1.5million.
He is the first living foal from Group II placed Glam Guru, a half-sister by Medaglia D’Oro (USA) to Group III winning stayer Gamblin’ Guru from the family of Champion 3YO Colt and Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Gold Guru.
Glam Guru has a two year-old colt by Toronado (IRE) called Golden Guru followed by a yearling colt by Palace Pier (IRE) and was covered late last year by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
Goldrush Guru is the second Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner for Coolmore’s Triple Crown winning shuttler American Pharoah (USA), who sired last year’s winner Riff Rocket, later crowned Champion Australian 3YO for 2023/2024.
Goldrush Guru is the ninth Group I winner among 51 stakes-winners for American Pharoah, who shuttled here for five seasons before waning popularity saw him remain at Coolmore’s Kentucky base of Ashford Stud where he stands at a fee of $US50,000
