Worth $1million, the ATC Golden Gift (1100m) run at Rosehill this Saturday is billed as a Group III race, but due to the ongoing ridiculous debacle of Black Type racing in Australia, the winner won’t be officially recognized as a stakes-winner.
Past winners of the Golden Gift are North England (Farnan) (2024), Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) (2023), Barber (Exceed and Excel) (2022), Sejardan (Sebring) (2021), Sneaky Five (Fastnet Rock) (2020) and Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible)(2019).
While none have gone on to become G1 winners, all bar Sneaky Five did go on to contest the Golden Slipper and all of them won subsequent stakes races with the exception of Shangri La Express.
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The Waterhouse Bott trained Hellbent colt Revengeance is the proven performer having run third in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and with a tick over trial since then and barrier six he looms as the horse to beat.
Two expensive colts are set to line up with the Chris Waller trained $1.4million Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Defensemen likely to be improved by his debut third at Randwick on October 25 behind the filly Thrill Hunter, who is also engaged to run here.
Big watch on the Ciaron Maher trained $2.8million Snitzel colt The Next Episode, who won his only trial and is bred for speed as a half-brother to stakes-placed Price Tag from G3 winning speedster Humma Humma.
The highest priced yearling by Snitzel ever sold, he carries a heavy weight of expectation.
From the same stable, bargain priced Exceed and Excel colt Artemex impressed coming from last to win a recent trial and has drawn gate three.
