3 minute read
Desert Lord takes out Friday’s Goldmarket
Friday’s Goldmarket Quality (Listed, 1200m) at the Gold Coast was won by the David Vandyke-trained Desert Lord (7 g ex Nova Star by Iglesia) who in winning became stakes winner number 134 for the late Coolmore Stud-based sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells).
Under Michael Cahill, Desert Lord came from midfield and showed his customary fast finish to defeat Tramonto (Wandjina) by a long neck. There was another half length back to Totally Charmed (I Am Invincible) in third. Group One winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), who was racing for the first time in ten months, finished fourth.
"I thought the 1200m with 54kgs in a race where the pace was always going to be on looked a lovely race for him, and it was," Vandyke said.
"He’s got an awkward action. He holds his head up a bit, so it’d s hard to know how he is travelling, but there was good pace on. When Michael got him to the outside, I thought he had done nothing and would find the line.
“He loves being a Queenslander and is enjoying life. He has been in a good headspace this week and is a happy horse.”
Bred and raced by Steve Dillon, who bought his dam, Nova Star (Iglesia), for $13,500 at the 2004 Magic Millions Gold Coast Summer Yearling Sale, Desert Lord is a half-brother to three winners including fellow Listed winner Acrostar (Danehill Dancer). Nova Star won seven races for Dillon and partners and trainer David Payne, including the 2007 Winter Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and twice at Group Two level.
She was most recently bought for $13,000 by G&L Morton at the 2020 Inglis Digital August Sale.
