What a phenomenal win in the Listed Wagga Gold Cup by Bennett Racing’s imported gelding Fawkner Park. After a very comfortable win in the Albury Gold Cup back in March, Fawkner Park was well placed here to gather another feature Country Cup win. Instructions were to have him placed much closer to the lead but as soon as they jumped, it was obvious he was going to drop out the back from his wide barrier. The speed was on from the outset and Fawkner Park settled back in last but travelling well underneath Tyler Schiller. The gelding must have been at least 16 lens off the lead at the 1000m and he would need to produce that turn of foot he had shown in the past to be able to get up from there. Still 12 lengths off them at the 600m, Tyler began his move and as they reached the turn he swung him widest into the straight. You could see the momentum that he was building up down the outside and he quickly went to the leaders and Tyler asked the big son of Zoffany for another effort Fawkner Park dug deep and ran away to win by nearly a length. The overall time of 2m00.51s was just 0.7s off the 25 year old track record. Considering how far Fawkner Park was off them, he must have run his last 600m in 33s or less – a fantastic effort considering the ground he was covering. Adding extra merit to the performance the Wagga track had been favouring frontrunners all day so to be so far back and still run the down, Fawkner Parks win was even more outstanding.
This is a really progressive import. He has answered most questions asked of him with the promise of much more to come. Fawkner Park is racing like a very good middle distance/stayer now, he is ready to step up and tackle better class. If he continues on this upward progression – he can be a player in a feature staying race in the Spring. The plan is for him to tackle the Gr1 Doomben Cup next up on his way towards a start in the 2mil Q22 over 2200m in June. Annabel Neasham and her Team seem to have a real knack with these imports and the way the have managed and handled Fawkner Park throughout his Australian career so far is something that should be applauded.
It was Fawkner Park’s 15th start (12th in Australia) and he took his record to 7 wins 1x 2nd 1 x 3rd, his last 2 both wins in Listed company and earnings of $501,702. He was a 120k gns purchase from the 2022 Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale by Bennett Racing & Stuart Boman. The gelding had just 4 starts in Ireland for Aiden O’Brien and had broken his maiden on the polytrack at Dundalk at his last start. By successful Coolmore sire Zoffany who had success here with stakeswinner Hi Stranger from limited Australian crops, Zoffany has also sired the good European stakeswinners here in Camorra, Carzoff, Al Galayel and Ventura Storm. Fawkner Park is a 1/2 brother to the Gr2 Herbert Power Hcp winner Saracen Knight and his dam is a sister to Gr1 winner Debussy and Gr2 winner Laugh Aloud.
Congratulations to all owners in Fawkner Park and thankyou to Annabel Neasham and her Team. There looks to be some very exciting times ahead with Fawkner Park for connections.