Gold Cup Glory for Gilt Complex (NZ)

$10,000 Festival Sale purchase Gilt Complex (NZ) (Gold Centre) hit the pinnacle of Singapore racing with a superb fightback victory in Sunday’s S$1.35 million Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) at Kranji.

The Cliff Brown-trained runner had also won the S$700,000 Raffles Cup (1800m) in his previous start, giving him victories in the final two legs of Singapore’s Triple Crown series and an additional S$50,000 bonus for connections.

After appearing to be battling in the home straight in the Gold Cup with a third placing the best he could hope for, Gilt Complex summoned a second wind in the last 200 metres to dive through the inside and claim a thrilling victory in a three-way photo finish.

Another Karaka graduate, the defending Gold Cup champion Bahana (NZ) (Elusive City), finished second.

“I thought he was gone at the 600 metres,” winning jockey Michael Rodd confessed. “I was just tacking up behind the horse in front and I thought I would run a nice fourth.

“But he found another gear when I took him to the fence, he was just pushing himself to get there and it’s just so amazing to win the Gold Cup.”

Gilt Complex has now had 26 starts for eight wins, seven placings and around S$1.5 million in prizemoney – 150 times his purchase price. He is raced by New Zealanders Graham Mackie and Trish Dunell.