The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Military Mission has secured a ballot free ride into the Group 1 The Metropolitan via a stunning upset in the 2023 Newcastle Gold Cup results on Friday.
2023 Newcastle Gold Cup winner Military Mission exploded late to take out the event and secure the Group 1 The Metropolitan ballot exemption. Photo: Steve Hart.
Jockey Ms Rachel King gave the galloper a perfectly timed ride from the wide alley to take out her first Group 3 $300,000 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) victory at Broadmeadow.
Mastercraftsman six-year-old Military Mission went out at Newcastle Gold Cup odds of $16 after things went amiss for him last start when over 23 lengths beaten in the Listed Tatts Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Soft going.
Relishing the Good (4) track conditions on Friday for the Newcastle Jockey Club’s showcase race meeting, the summer’s Hobart Cup champion was back to his best and back in winning form.
Co-trainer Waterhouse continued her outstanding strike-rate in the Newcastle Gold Cup race preparing her eighth winner and her first since Hush Writer in 2019.
Military Mission set a new track record, one previously held by the fellow Waterhouse-trained Hush Writer, saluting in 2 minutes 22.40 seconds.
King had Military Mission poised and ready to strike on the straight charging home down the outside late to snare a narrow victory right on the line over the game Annabel Neasham-trained Spirit Ridge ($18) with Hosier ($11) rounding out the Newcastle Gold Cup trifecta in third.
It is now onwards and upwards for Military Mission who will race in a fortnight’s time at Randwick on Epsom Handicap Day in the $750,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
Another Waterhouse runner, Glencadam Gold (2012), was the last horse to complete the Newcastle Gold Cup – The Metropolitan double.
All-in 2023 The Metropolitan odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au on Military Mission to be the next are into $21 with full markets available by clicking here.
2023 Newcastle Gold Cup Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | MILITARY MISSION (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Rachel King | 12 | 54kg | $16 | |||
| 2 | 11 | SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Ryan Maloney | 0.34L | 13 | 56kg | $18 | ||
| 3 | 8 | HOSIER (IRE) | Mark Minervini | Jason Collett | 0.84L | 11 | 56.5kg | $11 | ||
| 4 | 9 | DESERT ICON (FR) | Chris Waller | Brett Prebble | 1.56L | 1 | 56kg | $18 | ||
| 5 | 19e | WINEGLASS BAY (IRE) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 2.65L | 10 | 54kg | $13 | ||
| 6 | 5 | BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Chad Schofield | 3.1L | 14 | 57kg | $11 | ||
| 7 | 10 | KALAPOUR (IRE) | Kris Lees | Damien Oliver | 3.46L | 16 | 56kg | $4.40EF | ||
| 8 | 17e | PARRY SOUND | Sara Ryan | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 4.23L | 3 | 54kg | $31 | ||
| 9 | 2 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees | Ben Melham | 4.54L | 15 | 58kg | $4.40EF | ||
| 10 | 3 | ALEGRON | James Cummings | Zac Lloyd (a) | 5.4L | 5 | 57.5kg | $17 | ||
| 11 | 16 | OUTLANDOS | John Sargent | Jean Van Overmeire | 5.54L | 9 | 54kg | $26 | ||
| 12 | 7 | SIR LUCAN (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 5.55L | 6 | 57kg | $9 | ||
| 13 | 15 | BONNY EZRA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 6.31L | 7 | 54kg | $41 | ||
| 14 | 12 | TORRENS | Marc Chevalier | Keagan Latham | 7.43L | 4 | 55.5kg | $81 | ||
| 15 | 18e | RAGING BULL | David Payne | Reece Jones | 9.16L | 8 | 54kg | $61 | ||
| 16 | 6 | GEAR UP (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Joshua Parr | 10.07L | 2 | 57kg | $31 | ||
| 20e | FAY’S ANGELS | Karen Owen | 0 | |||||||
| 4 | KING FRANKEL (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | NAVAJO PEAK | David Payne | 0 | |||||||
| 13 | FANCY MAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Tyler Schiller | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
