Maybe it was the euphoria of the occasion but Golden Mile, which returns in an intriguing Expressway Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, filled my eye last start.
Rarely does a major sprint that commences the week so slight with only four nominations promise to end up so strong, and it is the potential of Golden Mile that lifts the group 2 feature.
Hugh Bowman steers Golden Mile (centre) to victory in the Callander-Presnell on Champions Day at Randwick last year.Credit:Getty
Many have personal favourites, horses to follow regardless of the assignment. Yes, I’m in awe of champions, be they equine, like Winx, or human, emphasised by Buddy on the boil or Cameron Murray producing his forty-plus bone-jarring tackles in a game.
But to a lesser degree horses “fill my eye” with appearance and style, like Golden Mile did in the eighth at Randwick on October 22. Sure, they can be wiped like a speck of first-impression dust but at the time resonate.
Golden Mile is hardly a yearling sale-topper – a colt by Astern, which stands for $11,000 at Darley, out of lightly raced Lonhro mare Calaverite, which won a Gimcrack. Yet he triggered memories of topliners Tails and Gunsynd, both of which are graphically recalled in the yet to be released Sydney Racing in the 1970s: An illustrated companion, by the acclaimed turf historian Wayne Peake.
“Tails was possibly the most magnificent thoroughbred I have seen,” the Sydney Morning Herald’s Bert Lillye, an expert on the subject, decreed in the book. And Tails, like Gunsynd, had personality.
Also from Queensland, Gunsynd – the Goondiwindi Grey – was more Rocky Balboa than the “magnificent bronze”, a title given to Tails. Peake makes a strong case that Tails was at least as good as Gunsynd, if not better.
Gunsynd did more for me, possibly because of his versatility: a top miler. Tails was a genuine stayer. Neither was a champion, but they were racing greats if not stud successes who produced joy at a time when horses had followers like sports superstars.
Syndicates now supply enthusiasts but hardly the following of Tails, who filled Lang Park in Brisbane at his farewell.
Golden Mile, though, could be on a Gunsynd trail to the Doncaster, as was tipped after the Randwick triumph by Darren Beadman, whose opinion is always worth noting.
However, some form analysts don’t regard Golden Mile a good gamble on Saturday at his near-evens quote. One rating service has Forbidden Love as well as late entries Mariamia and Nicolini Vito above him.
Golden Mile has the benefit of The Master’s touch passed down generations to grandson James Cummings, and he will have James McDonald doing what assorted pilots did for Gunsynd and Tails.
The J-Mac influence will also be seen on Thalassophile in the TAB Handicap. Thalassophile caught the attention for all the wrong reasons last start, but don’t be severe on the Irish lad who handled him. He will be better for the Australian experience.
Tom Marquand, who arrives shortly for a Sydney stint, rode like he was born here, but Frankie Dettori has never mastered the saddle art Down Under despite being a champion in Europe.
Possibly Thassophille shouldn’t be mentioned in the same story as Gunsynd and Tails.
So what happens to the eye if Golden Mile goes down today?
Well, his stablemate Anamoe, by Street Boss – a $77,000 service fee and regarded superior – was beaten into third in the corresponding race last year behind Overpass and Forbidden Love due to another front-running gem by Tim Clark on the winner.
Clark navigates Mariamia against Golden Mile today, a hurdle no doubt but one Golden Mile can overcome as he did bumping his way to victory in the Callander-Presnell.
