Sebring stayer Wu Gok loves a heavy track and a ‘Cup’ race and he got both of those things at Rosehill on Saturday when scoring a tenacious long head win in the Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m).
A last start winner of the ATC Lord Mayors’ Cup (2000m) two weeks ago, The Chris Waller trained six year-old led throughout and despite being headed, fought back to beat his stablemates Carzoff and Yulong Prince.
“It was good to see the stablemates fight out the finish,” said Chris Waller.
“He’s won another Cup and has done such a great job.”
Wu Gok has the overall record of 11 wins – four of them in Black Type Cup races- and 10 placings from 40 starts with prizemoney topping $754,000.
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 at the MM National Broodmare Sale and was then re-offered again at the same sale last 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.
Lipari produced a colt by I Am Invincible for Gerry Harvey last spring and is back in foal to him again.