GOLD RUSH OPEN TO THE WIDE WIDE WEST

After Eastern raiders plunder their riches, Perth horses get to keep G3 race at home

- Michael Lee

With interstate visitors opting out of The Pinnacles' last feature race, the Group 3 Gold Rush (1,400m) at Ascot, Perth on Dec 14, the top prize is sure to stay in the west this time.

Port Lockroy, Overpass, both from Sydney, and Light Infantry Man, from Melbourne, made a clean sweep of the three Group 1 majors, namely the Railway Stakes (1,600m), Winterbottom Stakes (1,200m) and Northerly Stakes (1,800m) respectively.

There is still the A$1.5 million (S$1.29 million) question of who will strike gold among the 14 local trainers chasing glory in a race, which, admittedly, may not carry the same prestige as the aforementioned trifecta, but was still etched in Australian racing immortality last year, especially the west.

First run in 1978, the 46th edition set the stage for its most famous homebred jockey, Damien Oliver, called by many as the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.), to end his decorated career on a winning note aboard Munhamek, one of three visitors in the contest.

Such a fairy-tale ending is unlikely to be matched or outmatched this year, but perhaps the singular excitement around the 2024 renewal is its wide-openness, with none of its 16 runners standing out.