An avid racing lover at heart, Scott Goldsmith jumped at the opportunity to enter the Harness The Dream competition in 2022 when he heard it advertised on TAB Radio, and although he wasnāt the major prize winner on the Finale night,Ā he still walked away with a $500 voucher for the APG Sales to put towards a yearling of his choice, and that decision is paying off in dividends with the now two-year-old Off The Charts (Downbytheseaside) lining up this Friday night in the $215,000 Gr1 Allwood Stud Westbred Classic.
An opportunity most can only dream of, Goldsmith, alongside his brother-in-law Ryan Smith could experience their first taste of Group 1 glory with Off The Charts lining up from barrier four in the Colts and Geldings final for trainer Jemma Hayman.
āI donāt think itās even sunk in yet; I was only just texting my brother and my dad last night that weāve got a group 1 runner,
āit just hasnāt really registered yet.ā Scott Goldsmith said
After winning his first two races earlier in the season, he finished in fourth placing in his APG Sales Classic heat before finishing fourth again in the final, with the decision then made to send him out for a well-deserved break.
āWe thought we had him pretty right earlier on in the year when that race (The APG Sales Classic) got called off, Smarty was in a pretty good one-one spot, and then the next week we came back to re-run and he had kind of peaked the week before, he had trained off a bit,
āHeās come back and weāre pretty happy with him,
āBut like I said anything can win that race.ā
After meeting both Jemma Hayman and Ross Olivieri at the master class session of the competition, Goldsmith got talking to Olivieri and after finding a common ground with of both having an association with Wesley College the rest was history, and just weeks later Goldsmith was purchasing a share in not just one, but two yearlings with the stable.
āThey invited me to come around to KTC bloodstock and taught me about what they look for in a good baby and then we went from there.ā
Goldsmith has also purchased a share in Diamond World who races tomorrow at the postponed Bunbury meeting in race 1.
Off The Charts (Downbytheseaside USA x Smart By Design NZ) was purchased at the 2022 APG Perth Yearling sales for $97,500.
Other success stories coming out of the Harness The Dream competition include Blaze Away, this year’s ready to run two-year-old Grand Finale prize who lines up from barrier seven in the C&G Westbred Classic for trainer Justin Prentice. The winning owners, Allan and Marie Sadler are vying for Group 1 glory on Friday night.
For complete race entries, click here.
byĀ Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA