GOSFORD STAND-ALONE FEATURES SHAPING AS BEAUTIES

GOSFORD’S three Listed features at its annual metropolitan stand-alone meeting on Saturday are shaping as beauties if TAB.com.au’s early markets are a guide.

There is no dominant favorite in either of the $500,000 The Coast (1600m), $300,0 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) and $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m), ensuring strong betting in all.

The trio of black type races highlight a 10-race program, with 212 entries received by Gosford Race Club.

Victorian Zambardo is the early favorite at $4.50 for The Coast, a quality race for three and four-year-olds.

Kerguelen also is at $4.50 for the Takeover Target, whilst the Cup is wide open with Maison Louis and Portland sharing the top line at $6.

This will be the sixth running of The Coast and there will be anew trainer to add his or her name to the honour roll.

John Sargent (Brandenburg 2021 and Palmetto 2023), Kris Lees (Rustic Steel 2022), Team Corstens (Magnaspin 2024) and Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich (Know Thyself last year) have won the feature so far – but none have entries for this renewal.

Gosford received 19 entries for The Coast, 27 for the Cup, and 22 for the Takeover Target.

“The overall number of entries is similar to last year, and the quality for our three main races again is very pleasing,” The Entertainment Grounds chief executive Daniel Lacey said today.

“The track would be a ‘Good 4’ if we raced today, and that’s the way it should stay for Saturday with generally fine weather forecast throughout the week.

“The addition of Big Dance eligibility to the Cup clearly has had a positive effect.

“Many trainers are taking advantage of this trying to gain an early ticket into the Big Dance at Royal Randwick in early November.”

Gosford has extended entries until 11am tomorrow (Tuesday) for three of its supporting races.

They are the $200,000 Thunder Thousand Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1000m (currently 12 entries), Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1200m (15) and 2YO Handicap, 1200m (also 15).

RacingNSW has issued weights for the meeting, with early favorite Zambardo topweight for The Coast with 59kg.

Last start Randwick winner Asterix heads weights with 61kg for the Cup, and Iowna Merc is topweight for the Takeover Target with 60.5kg.

. Provincial entries for the three Listed events are:

THE COAST – Cosmeena (Michael Vella, Hawkesbury);

GOLD CUP – You Wahng, Kind Words, Zaphod (Kris Lees, Newcastle), Sunset Park (Brad Widdup, Hawkesbury), Our Gold Hope (Rob and Luke Price, Kembla Grange);

TAKEOVER TARGET – Infancy (Kris Lees, Newcastle), Well Timed (Kerry Parker, Kembla Grange).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 4, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS