Wyong Cup Win for Wu Gok

A six year-old gelding by Sebring, the Chris Waller trained Wu Gok scored his first stakes win when taking out the Group III ATC Premier’s Cup last weekend and has wasted no time adding a second when successful in the $164,000 Listed Wyong Gold Cup on Friday.

Settled just off a hot pace by James McDonald, Wu Gok took control coming around the home turn and was strong to the line to wi the 2100 metre staying test by a length and a half taking his overall record to nine wins from 32 starts with earnings in excess of $570,000.

“I felt like I was on The Autumn Sun halfway up,” McDonald said.

“He did a great job today – found a really nice position early and I let him stride.

“He beat me last Saturday and I learned a little bit off him because he stayed on really well and I thought there won’t be a horse that looks better than him today and he raced accordingly.

“It was a great effort by the team to back him up and have him run so well.”

A $120,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Anton Koolman Bloodstock / Hermitage Thoroughbreds from the Widden Stud draft, Wu Gok runs in the Heritage Bloodstock colours that have achieved Group I success for the Waller stable aboard Champion 3YO Colt The Autumn Sun and dual Oaks winner Egg Tart.

Bred by Robert Anderson and foaled and raised at Widden Stud, Wu Gok is the first foal of stakes-placed Lipari, whose next two foals are Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Levendi and Group III winner Marcel from Madrid.

Lipari changed hands in 2017 when bought by Twin Hills Stud for $170,000 and was then re-offered again at the same sale this year by Twin Hills in foal to I Am Invincible and was bought by Baramul Stud for $1.6million making her the third highest priced mare of the sale.

Wu Gok is one of 55 stakes-winners for Widden Stud’s late Golden Slipper winner Sebring, whose last crop of foals will be born this spring.