Beast Unleashed Bags Gosford Gold

PRODIGIOUS talent Beast Unleashed capped off a memorable return from career threatening injury with a stunning victory in Tuesday night's Group 2 Woy Woy Poultry Gosford Gold Cup Final (515m).

Having spent most of 2018 on the sidelines after suffering a severe leg injury in the final of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic Final at Wentworth Park in June, Beast Unleashed delivered a faultless display to capture the $40,000 first prize in Tuesday's Cup finale at just his third run back, justifying his favourite tag to defeat a fast finishing She's Gifted by a length in a slick 29.15.

Cosmic Bonus – winner of the 2018 Gosford Gold Cup in emphatic fashion – finished a gallant third, another four lengths away from the winner for trainer Evelyn Harris.

For trainers Jodie and Peter Lagogiane – winners of the inaugural Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase with Mystic Riot in October – victory in the New Year's Day feature at Gosford has long been on the kennels bucket list, regular visitors to the central coast circuit of a Tuesday evening in recent years.

Tuesday night's Gosford Gold Cup success was the son of Barcia Bale and Little Miss Hap's second at Group 2 level, following his stirring triumph in the $150,000 to-the-winner Launching Pad at Sandown Park in March.

And after seeing in 2019 in the best possible fashion, Lagogiane has no doubt his burgeoning star has a big season of racing ahead, his next target the Group 1 Paws Of Thunder, which gets underway at Wentworth Park in two weeks' time.

With the Cup firmly tucked away, Lagogiane left Gosford on Tuesday with two winners for the program, landing the last event with blueblood galloper Demolition Duke.

A son of Dyna Double One and outstanding producer Clockwise, Demolition Duke backed up his slick Richmond maiden success to remain unbeaten with Tuesday's smart 22.44 all-the-way win.

On a night of fantastic racing out of Gosford, the feature middle distance event of the program, the $3,000 to-the-winner Six String Cup (603m), went the way of the John Finn-trained Blue Moon Rising, defeating Nabiac Soldier by 8 ¾ lengths in a flying 34.21.

Finn – fresh from securing the Metropolitan Trainers Premiership at Wentworth Park on Saturday night – has now guided Blue Moon Rising to 16 career victories and is in the form of his career since elevating in distance.