Golden One has good intentions

In the end, class won the day and, in that tussle over the final furlong, seven-year-old Lim's Samurai got the better of three-year-old Golden One.

The margin was just a nose - maybe a shorthead - but considering Lim's Samurai's rating of 79, Golden One did really well in that Tuesday morning trial over the 1,000m.

Incidentally, Golden One has a rating of just 47.

That Lim's Samurai would win the trial was expected.

But the manner in which Golden One (Marc Lerner) made him work for the victory was not scripted.

Indeed, and if anything, Golden One looked to have it sewn up at the 200m mark.

But, as mentioned, class told and, in the shades of the winning post, Lim's Samurai found that little extra.

Nineteen Gale stayed on well for third.

Golden One clocked 61.79sec for the trip.

Lim's Samurai - who is a reserve runner in Race 11 on Saturday - was timed at 61.77sec.

From Tim Fitzsimmons' yard, Golden One has raced three times but has already shown promise.

His best effort was a third behind Tiger Roar and Day Approach in a 1,400m race in mid-September.

He did not have the best of luck in the running and, at the 300m mark, had to be checked off the heels of another runner. Still, he came home well.

That race came on the back of a trial which he won in 60.70sec.

Racing in the colours of Gold Stable, Golden One is still learning the ropes and, when he does begin to flow, he should be winning races.

Fitzsimmons has another promising racehorse in Gnothi Seauton.

Yet to show his real worth on the racetrack, he looked sharp when taking the third trial of the morning.

Clearing the chute cleanly, Lerner parked Gnothi Seauton in fourth spot, as Travis (Joseph See) dictated things up front.

Lerner was not in a hurry. He had his mount on a tight rein and running in second spot in the stretch.

With a furlong to travel, he said "go" and Gnothi Seauton responded, clearing away to beat Travis by almost a length.

His time was 60.87sec.

A four-year-old, Gnothi Seauton's best effort in four starts came in early September when he ran third to the talented In All His Glory.

That was over the 1,400m and, although comprehensively beaten, he did himself no favours by being slow to leave the chute.

Since early March, Fitzsimmons has put his charge through the grinder and, to date, he has been to seven trials.

Tuesday's win was his second trial victory.

That first one was in July. He won it in a relatively slow time of 62.60sec, which made Tuesday's winning time of 60.08sec seem like a huge improvement.

Fitzsimmons has been working hard to get some wins on the board. He saddled his last winner on Oct 10.

Golden One and Gnothi Seauton could help boost his statistics.