Cameron Crockett unleashed another talented gelding at Mudgee on Sunday, with debutant Goonoo proving a class above his rivals in the 1200m Country Boosted Maiden Plate.
Ridden by Kody Nestor, the three-year-old started $3.40 favourite, and he did a few things wrong when beginning slowly from gate 11, meaning Nestor was forced to work into the race three and four wide.
Turning for home, Nestor didn’t catch any breaks. He kept his charge wide, but the Scone galloper worked into the race nicely, putting over a length and a half on the Keren Hazelton-trained The Percentage (Andrew Banks, $17), while in third and two lengths back was the Gary Lunn-trained Wandering Cloud (Aaron Bullock, $17).
Goonoo is by Denman and out of Unique Shadow, and Crockett explained that he is related to the enigmatic four-time winner, Mr Hussill, and raced by the same owners.
“He’s a proper horse,” Crockett said after the Goonoo’s victory.
“His mother is a half-sister to Mr Hussill, so we’ve had some good success with the one of the family that we’ve had, and we are really happy for the girls.
“I think Mr Hussill is probably the first horse that I was given, and one of the only horses really by the locals at Scone; It’s a pretty tough place if you’re not in the click, but they gave me him, and obviously we had a really good run with him.
“They’ve been great owners and never complained, and we’ve had a lot of problems with Mr Hussill, as everyone knows, but I think this fella (Goonoo) might be something out of the box.”
Crockett said he would probably spell his youngster but hinted that he might be one to watch in the future.
“I don’t know,” Crockett replied when asked what was next for Goonoo.
“I thought he looked a bit light in the tie-ups, to be honest, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go to the paddock because he obviously has a lot bigger things ahead of him than that.”
Crockett and his team will now focus on another week of racing, with two in action at Muswellbrook on Monday before racing at Taree on Thursday and Tamworth on Friday.
Bell guides Casirina to victory in XXXX Cup
Sunday’s meeting at Mudgee was an entertaining seven-race card, highlighted by the running of the XXXX Cup Open Handicap (1400m).
Mitchell Bell, who rode a double on the day, won the seven-furlong race on the Ross Stitt-trained Casirina ($4.40).
The five-year-old was ridden a little worse than midfield but flew down the outside, winning by a half-length from the Garry Lunn-trained Knife’s Edge (Mikayla Weir, $11), while three-quarters-of-a-length back in third was the Clint Lundholm-trained Notabadidea (Ronald Simpson, $14).
Bell’s second win on the program arrived in the 1500m Maiden Handicap when guiding the Bjorn Baker-trained Line Of Fire ($2.90) to a comfortable win.
For all Mudgee results, click here.
