Asterix (NZ) Sets Weight-Carrying Record in Gosford Gold Cup

Three weeks on from his first Australian black-type victory in the Group Three JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick, Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock) backed it up with another one on Saturday – this time under a record-breaking weight in the A$300,000 Listed Guardian Safety Solutions Gosford Gold Cup (2100m).

Bruce Perry Bloodstock bought Asterix for $450,000 from Curraghmore’s draft at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. He has now had 26 starts for seven wins, two placings and A$1.27m in stakes.

The winner of four races in New Zealand including the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Group Two Avondale Cup (2400m), Asterix took time to find his feet after moving to Australia and joining the Chris Waller stable.

Waller and his connections were rewarded for their patience with some promising results in the spring, including a win in the A$300,000 The Beauford (2300m), a second in the Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) and a fifth in the A$500,000 Group Three St Leger (2600m).

Asterix has taken things up another notch this time in, going back-to-back in the JRA Plate and the Gosford Gold Cup.

He had a daunting task on Saturday with 61 kilograms on his back. Since weights changed to the metric system in 1972, the highest weight that had ever been carried to victory in the Gosford Gold Cup was 59.5 kilograms. But Asterix earned himself a special place in the history of the race.

Ridden by Jason Collett, Asterix dropped back to second-last and then produced a blistering late run. He was briefly stuck in traffic when the field bunched up approaching the home turn, but Collett found a way through and Asterix did the rest. He powered home down the outside and went on to win by a length.

“He’s flying,” Collett said. “I was fortunate that the tempo was great early in the race.

“He started to get into a nice rhythm down the side and we worked together from there. I got some lucky breaks, but I had the horse to do it.”

Asterix’s trainer Chris Waller was represented at Gosford on Saturday by Zane Jones.

“He's a happy horse and is going better than ever,” Jones said. “He has strung back-to-back wins together. He is extremely underrated, but as long as he is winning, we don't mind.

“You would have to say a trip to Queensland beckons after that, his effort was full of merit.”

Vendor	Curraghmore
Purchaser	Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington)
Breeding	Tavistock – Mourasana
Sale	Lot 305, 2020 Ready to Run Sale, $450,000
Breeder	Go Bloodstock New Zealand Ltd
Owner	Mr D A J Kelt, Mr M J Greatbatch, Mr A J Scott, Mrs L J Scott, Mr J P Hunter