Gold Force to be reckoned with as straight chaser

By Josh Spasaro

Gold Force emphatically answered any lingering questions over whether he would excel on a straight track following his two-length victory in the Mach 10 Heat at Q Straight last week.

He was one of three chasers to make the final for Michelle Sultana and Darryl Thomas, which will be over 350 metres this Thursday.

The other two were Massaro and Galento, with the in-form kennel operation also qualifying Winsome Jet and Winsome Rambo into the Flying Amy Classic Final.

Saluting for the third consecutive time, the three-year-old black dog crossed the line in 18.91 seconds from box six.

Sultana, based at South Maclean in the Logan region, said she had no doubt the Ipswich Cup winner would adapt to straight-line running.

“He’s just got a motor. Running a straight line, it suits him as well. He’s just very strong,” she said.

“I knew there was going to be a bit of carnage early with the eight wanting to get to the rails.

“I was hoping he’d miss it and hook around on the outside, which he did.

“It was a massive win. The track was very heavy, so what he did from out there was probably the softest part of the track.”

Gold Force will jump from box three, with Massaro one outside of him and again in the blue rug. 

Galento will start from the six lane in the Group 2 Mach 10 Final worth $112,500.

Sultana said she was happy with where all three drew.

“When we trialled Galento, he wanted to head to the rails pretty quick. But in the heat, he went straight,” she said.

“So I think he’s drawn well.

“Massaro is always in a middle draw somewhere and he just went straight. So I’m not worried about him, either.”

Massaro produced the fastest heat time, winning by a length and crossing the line in 18.72 seconds from box four.

Sultana raced his dam, the late Barcia Quality, who produced last year’s Group 1 Vic Peters Classic Final winner, Gus The Jet.

By Fernando Bale, he is a litter brother to Massaro.

“Barcia Quality was a fast bitch, and she threw some pretty hot dogs,” she said.

Galento won his Mach 10 heat by one-and-a-quarter lengths, posting a time of 18.91 seconds.

Melbourne trainer Paul Galea sent him north after the black dog who turns three on August 15 finished fourth in the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson Final at Sandown on May 22.

“He trialled really well. He wasn’t really up here for this race,” Sultana said.

“We needed to give him a hit-out. With the rain up here, we decided to give him a race up the straight and he went super.

“I rang the owners and his trainer down in Melbourne, Paul Galea, and said I think we should have a crack at this.

“He’s gone good enough to be competitive, at least. And we’re not going to miss out on anything else.

“We’ve got a bit of time up our sleeves before the Brisbane Cup. And he said ‘yeah, no dramas, put him in it’.”

Sultana was happy to take Galento into her kennels after receiving a phone call from Galea.

“He rang me just out of the blue and asked if I’d be interested in taking him and Ross The Boss for the Brisbane Cup,” she said.

“He’s got brilliant early pace, so that helps, definitely up here anyway.”