Last start Sale Cup winner Gold Fields gave popular jockey Stephen Baster a fitting finale to his riding career when battling on bravely to nose out Mr Exclusive in Saturday’s $160,000 Group III Ladbrokes Sandown Stakes at Sandown.
Under hard riding by Baster, Gold Field defeated Mr Exclusive (Magnus) by a short half-head with one and a quarter lengths to Travimyfriend (Tavistock) in third place.
Gold Fields is trained by Baster’s good friend Logan McGill who, like Baster was apprenticed to Mark Riley.
Due to begin a career in real estate, Baster said he will miss the comradery in the jockey’s room.
"This is a bit of a fairytale, even if I didn't win on him today he was going to be my last winner because I won the Sale Cup on him and haven't had a winner since,” Baster said.
Logan McGill said he was worried in the run.
“He got caught flat-footed when they sprinted but he was strong through the line, it was a fantastic result,” McGill said.
“He has been asked to go to Dubai so we will concentrate on that now as he has to leave in eight weeks.
The 7yo son of Churchill Downs advances his record to 7 wins, 5 seconds and 5 thirds from 31 starts with earnings of $563,154.
Bred by the Heffernan family, Gold Fields was consigned by Blue Gum Farm to the 2014 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale where he was knocked down to Glenhuntly Lodge for $42,000.
He is the best of four winners from five to race out of the Encosta de Lago mare Gold Delta who is a half-sister to the Listed MRC Blue Sapphire Stakes and Listed Ipswich Cup winner Gold In Dubai (Desert Sun) and the Listed TTC Gold Sovereign Stakes winner Gold Busker (Oratorio).
Gold Delta had not had a live foal in four years after Gold Fields before foaling a Danerich filly in October last year.
Gold Fields is one of six winners for former Blue Gum resident Churchill Downs (Danehill) who was exported to Libya in 2012.
