Joy Is Golden to go all the way in Race 9

JOY IS GOLDEN has been primed to make all in tomorrow’s overnight allowance at five furlongs straight, the trip at which she won back-to-back races, May and June of last year, closing a hat-trick with victory over FRED THE GREAT and PRESS CONFERENCE.

Attempting a third win out the straight in October, JOY IS GOLDEN gallantly tried to make all against PRESS CONFERENCE on October 20 but was caught and beaten by a neck with a 15lb weight swing against her.

Trainer Patrick Lynch tried everything to give JOY IS GOLDEN a shot, including putting up claiming-rider Samantha Fletcher, reducing the weight swing from 19 to 15lb. However, PRESS CONFERENCE, who had topweight 126lb when JOY IS GOLDEN carried 114lb to beat him by three and a quarter lengths in June, was too strong at the end with the scale in his favour.

Having failed to stop PRESS CONFERENCE turning the tables mid-October, JOY IS GOLDEN went on two November excursions in seven days, contrary to Lynch’s training pattern, both in small fields, suggesting earning opportunities in races facing abandonment due to insufficient entries.

No match for MOJITO at six furlongs, JOY IS GOLDEN raced prominently early and fell back, a similar tactic going a mile in an event won by stayer POWER FROM ABOVE.

Sprinting six furlongs, three Saturdays ago, JOY IS GOLDEN did well to chase BOOTYLICIOUS into the lane and stayed second to the furlong pole behind the speedster, who returned to destroy DESERT OF MALIBU and friends in the Chris Armond Sprint 10 days later.

Though JOY IS GOLDEN is drawn at post-position two, Lynch has again filed for insurance by calling in Richie Shakes to pilot the five-year-old mare at a declared 105lb, making it easy for her to head for higher and faster ground along the stands’ side.

Completing her hat-trick last year, JOY IS GOLDEN beat FRED THE GREAT and PRESS CONFERENCE from the one hole out the straight in a nine-horse field.

I REALISE, drawn at post-position one, returns off a three-month break with figure-eight fitted after being scratched, lame, on his intended October 19 outing. LABAN is always a threat but was beaten into sixth place by JOY IS GOLDEN at the trip in June.

GEOLITHIC, who led rivals into the straight at a mile two Saturdays ago before BLUE VINYL pounced, could be JOY IS GOLDEN’s main threat from mid-track. Peter Parsard has called in nine-pound claimer Jaheim Anderson to give his middle-distance specialist every chance out the straight.