Mick Price has always had a good opinion of the sparingly raced Gunstock and the four-year-old gelding demonstrated just why by romping home with the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Wednesday.
Jamie Kah settled Gunstock in second place behind Johnny Get Angry and they had the race under control from a long way out.
Kah sent him to the front at the 600-metre mark when the leader started to tire and from then he didn’t look like losing.
Price and co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr have been patient with Gunstock and they will continue to be, with Price saying they needed to give Gunstock a long time to recover after he had finished 13th in the Victoria Derby.
Prior to that, he had won the G3 Norman Robinson Stakes over 2000m during last year’s Caulfield Cup Carnival.
“I think he’s got a good 2400-metre race in him, whether that be Bendigo or Geelong (Cup) or even the last day of the Carnival. I think he’s a good, clean-winded, sound stayer who can win a nice staying race,” said Price.
Price said he is looking at giving Gunstock another two starts over spring and will then give him a more ambitious autumn.
The race carried a golden ticket into the Caulfield Cup for the winner, but it was irrelevant as no horse which contested the Coongy Cup had paid up for Saturday’s race.
Racing Victoria stewards downgraded the track to a Heavy 8 after the Coongy Cup and then to a Heavy 9 after the fourth race.
BY RACING.COM