Wheres The Gold through to Tasmanian Cup Final

The Emma Stewart-trained Wheres The Gold (Somebeachsomewhere) got his Tasmania Cup harness racing preparation back on track after he led all the way to score in the second and final heat in Hobart on Friday night (Mar. 10).

The gelding was balloted from the final field of the first heat due to his national rating of 78 being two points lower than the 80 front of the race.

He secured a spot in the second heat as the capacity field limit was not reached.

Connections then had the logistical challenge of getting the pacer across Bass Strait, with the gelding only arriving by boat on race morning.

Sent out as the $1.14 favourite, reinsman Allan McDonough got Wheres The Gold away well at his first standing start attempt, and they had the race ran on their own terms with a sedate lead time of 78.1s before recording quarters of 31.6s, 31.6s, 28.6s and 28.3s on their way to defeating Boom ($7.00) by 9.1m, with Stravinsky ($26) a half head away third.

The mile rating was 2m 3.7s, 2.5s slower than last week’s heat won by Check In.

The first seven placegetters qualified for the Group 1 Tasmania Cup on Saturday night 18 March, with the final field and barrier draw to be finalised by the Office of Racing Integrity on Tuesday.

Wheres The Gold’s win was the first leg of a double for driver Allan McDonough who scored in the following race with Well Said Harps.
The six-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Wayne Watson, who was based in Tasmania for 14 years and is contemplating a move back to the state, after spending the past few years in Victoria.

Mark Yole also drove a double, with his win of John Richard being his 700th career winner.

For complete race results, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing