NORTH-WEST coast trainer Angela Brakey attributes new-found confidence as the secret to Neil’s Gold finding the best form of his career.
Neil’s Gold notched the third win from his past four starts at Tattersall’s Park on Sunday, scoring in the Raine & Horne benchmark 78 Handicap over 2100 metres.
It was the gelding’s second win in succession over the journey and Brakey said it probably won’t be his last.
“The horse has found his confidence again and that’s made all the difference,” Brakey said.
“He was a very good juvenile and went to Melbourne for a campaign but was never the same after he came back from that interstate stint,” she said.
Neil’s Gold also is enjoying being trained out of a paddock instead of an enclosed environment.
“He just loves being in a paddock and that’s obviously attributed to his return to form.”
“I’m going to stick to riding him through bushland on our property and on the beach because it keeps him happy and interested,” she said.
Neil’s Gold was always travelling like the winner on Sunday, settling third in the small field of six and always in touch with the leader Announced.
When Announced shrugged off Wallis nearing the home turn he slipped clear but when rider Anthony Darmanin called on Neil’s Gold to extend along the rail he quickly joined the leader and at the business end of proceedings he drew clear and won with authority from Announced withy Spotluck grabbing third just in advance of Umanugget.
“There aren’t too many options open to us now that he is almost into open company,” Brakey said.
“There’s another benchmark 78 over 2100 metres here at Elwick in a fortnight but that’s about it until the end of October,” she said.