Green Gold Rush turns back the clock to land Ash Wednesday trophy

GREEN GOLD RUSH took the widest route of all challengers, after leaving the half-mile marker next-to-last, to outfinish 6-1 chance GET A PEPSI and 88-1 outsider, United States-bred TAURUS BOY, in yesterday’s Ash Wednesday Trophy at six and a half furlongs.

Highly touted for the classics as a three-year-old in 2020, GREEN GOLD RUSH’s inconsistency never allowed him to deliver his handlers’ expectations but has transformed under Dalton Sirjue’s care since reporting off an 18-month break a year ago.

The seven-year-old gelding has since won two overnight-allowance races in six attempts at the level after beating lowly $250,000 claimers on his second outing for Sirjue in March 2023.

Settled next-to-last by Dane Dawkins, GREEN GOLD RUSH was forced to race wide leaving the half-mile, a task the Adore The Gold-Princess Lorna gelding handled like a pro, producing a storming run alongside GET A PEPSI to pounce on TAURUS BOY stealing home at long odds.

TAURUS BOY slipped to the lead early in the stretch run, appearing all set to plunge another dagger into punters’ Ketch 9 and Twilight 6 bets already destroyed by four consecutive upsetters, ranging from 5-1 and 8-1 tremors to AMMA stunning at 12-1.

However, GREEN GOLD RUSH and GET A PEPSI cut down the foreigner close to home in a drive-by, flashing past the post in 1:21.2.

GREEN GOLD RUSH beat GET A PEPSI by a neck with TAURUS BOY a half-length behind, emerging from the woodworks with sparingly used Delroy Beharie following a spate of underwhelming performances last season.

Tevin Foster, who had earlier won the second event with SUGAR DADDY, spectacularly completed a two-timer on the 10-race card, falling from aboard exhausted KISSMET shades past the winning post after guiding home Steven Todd’s 5-1 winner in the eighth event.

KISSMET had to be doused with buckets of water and hosed down in front of the stands after landing the six-furlong event as MO AVIATOR closed in on her from against the rail.

KISSMET put Foster level on 16 winners with Raddesh Roman, who made all astride AMMA in the seventh for three-year-old maidens at seven furlongs.

Roger Hewitt also booted home two winners, producing 12-1 shot UNCLE SYL with a come-from-behind win at five furlongs straight, followed by a similar ride to get THE GIFTED ONE home at 8-1 in the sixth at the same trip.

Racing continues on Saturday.