Golden Lode Scores Deserved Group Three Win

After a series of frustrating placings, NZB Standardbred graduate Golden Lode (NZ) (Always B Miki) was able to break through for an elusive win when taking out last Friday’s Group Three Allwood Stud 4YO & 5YO Championship (2130m) at Gloucester Park.

The five-year-old son of Always B Miki had finished runner-up in his previous two outings in the A$1.25 million Group One The Nullarbor (2536m) and Group One Freemantle Cup (2936m) for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, and driver Kyle Symington was adamant they weren’t going to come off second best again.

He took his charge back to settle at the rear of the field, and he was content to see his rivals burn plenty of petrol early. With 1100m to go, Symington sent his charge forward, but he was unable to find the front and was posted three-wide for the remainder of the journey. Golden Lode showed his grit when continuing his run and hit the lead rounding the final bend, and he shot clear down the straight to win by 2.8m.

“He has been racing super, he has been facing the best and you could say it is unfortunate that we weren’t Nullarbor winners, but he deserved that one tonight, he was too classy,” Symington said.

“I wasn’t expecting there to be that much speed early but I was quite happy once we were back in the field that that was unfolding upfront and as soon as the speed backed on he had the class that we could put him into it.

“I was pretty confident down that back that we had them covered.”

Bred by Alabar, Golden Lode is by Always B Miki and out of Group One winner Yankee Dream.

He was offered through Alabar’s 2022 National Yearling Sale draft at Karaka where he was purchased by Brent Mangos for $60,000.

Golden Lode has now won 14 of his 49 starts, with Friday’s victory being his maiden stakes success.