American Pharoah Colt Wins G1 Victoria Derby
The $2 million Group I VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday was won by progressive colt Goldrush Guru (3c American Pharoah x Glam Guru, by Medaglia D'Oro), who made it back to back winners in the race for his sire American Pharoah.
Trained in Adelaide by Andrew Gluyas, Goldrush Guru stamped his ticket to the Victoria Derby with a resounding last start win in the Listed SAJC Hill Smith Stakes over 1800m on October 19.
Stepping out to the much longer staying trip of 2500m, Goldrush Guru was given a perfect ride by Jamie Kah and swept to the lead with two furlongs to run and was strong to the line winning by a length and a half over Kiwi bred roughie Scary, a son of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.
"My plan was to get back on him. Couldn't hold him early. I was going to be wide and somehow found a little gap to slot into.
"Once I found the gap, he just fell asleep and gave me a beautiful run throughout.
"He won it a long way out and I could have stopped him for another lap, but he wanted to keep going. They've trained this horse to perfection.”
Not offered for sale and retained to race by his breeders the Guru Breeding Syndicate, Goldrush Guru has the overall record of four wins and three placings from eight starts with prizemoney of $1.5million.
He is the first living foal from Group II placed Glam Guru, a half-sister by Medaglia D’Oro (USA) to Group III winning stayer Gamblin’ Guru from the family of Champion 3YO Colt and Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Gold Guru.
Glam Guru was covered late last year by another of the Coolmore shuttle superstars in St Mark’s Basilica.
Goldrush Guru is the second Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner for Triple Crown winning shuttler American Pharoah, who sired of last year’s winner Riff Rocket, later crowned Champion Australian 3YO for 2023/2024.
Goldrush Guru is the ninth Group I winner among 51 stakes-winners for American Pharoah, who shuttled to Australia for five seasons and is now permanently based at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.