Gold-Fun arrived in Newmarket, England on Saturday (11 June) afternoon, exactly one week out from his assignment in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot. The Richard Gibson-trained gelding has taken the travel and change of scenery without a hitch.
“It’s all good, all lights are green. The horse has settled in well, he’s eaten up well and his bodyweight is good. It’s been straightforward so far and we’re happy with the way he is,” said Gibson.
The seven-year-old was alert and relaxed upon stepping out at the historic and tranquil Abington Place Stables. With his dedicated mafoo Josephine Kwok Wing-ki and work rider Eric Gandon seeing to his needs, Gold-Fun enjoyed a munch of hay, a walk and a wash down under the hazy late afternoon sunshine as a familiar face, the G1 King’s Stand Stakes-bound Mongolian Saturday, observed from his box across the yard.
After nothing more strenuous than easy trotting on Sunday, Gold-Fun stretched out for a steady canter this morning, Monday 13 June, under his regular partner, Gandon.
The Le Vie Dei Colori chestnut limbered up in the covered trotting ring before heading to the nearby Bury Hill Ecotrack in company with a trio of Abington Place residents from the Jane Chapple-Hyam string.
Gandon, whose association with Gibson goes back many years and took in the globe-trotting escapades of two-time Hong Kong Vase winner Doctor Dino, was satisfied, noting that Gold-Fun moved more fluidly on the synthetic surface than he would at Sha Tin.
This season’s G2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) winner, runner-up in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), warmed up for the Royal Meeting with a solid barrier trial six days ago and Gibson has no plans to exert his charge in the coming days.
“We have no serious work planned because he had that barrier trial last week. He’s a fit horse and we’ll go easy with him,” he said.
Gold-Fun is aiming to become the third Hong Kong horse to triumph at Royal Ascot and the second to win the race now known as the Diamond Jubilee. Cape Of Good Hope took the then Golden Jubilee Stakes in 2005 when Royal Ascot was staged at York during Ascot racecourse’s extensive redevelopment, and Little Bridge won the G1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) in 2012.
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Photo 1:
Photo 1
Gold-Fun is settling in well at Abington Place Stables, Newmarket
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Photo 2:
Photo 2
Gold-Fun has a wash down after exercise.
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