Consistent gelding Pelicano will have the opportunity to add another provincial cup victory to his racing resume after he was included in the nominations for the 2015 Gosford Cup that will be held on Friday.
Pelicano will be contesting the Gosford Cup for the first time in his racing career, but has extensive experience in Cup races after winning the 2012 Onkaparinga Cup (2150m), 2013 Listed Parramatta Cup (2000m), 2013 Listed Murray Bridge Cup (1600m) and the 2013 Listed Werribee Cup (2600m).
The Court Of Jewels gelding underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from his hind leg following his Werribee Cup victory and he was kept out of racing for almost a year, but he returned with a credible eighth in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on December 13 before he finished fourth behind I’m Imposing in the Summer Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day.
Sam Kavanagh-trained Midsummer Sun won the 2014 edition of the Gosford Gold Cup and the imported is set to have the opportunity to become the first horse since Dark Diamond (1971 and 1972) to win the race in back-to-back years.
Midsummer Sun has not recorded a race win since his Gosford Cup victory last year, but he has performed consistently in his seven race starts this preparation and finished in the placings in both the Cellarbrations At Valentine Handicap (1900m), the Listed ATC Cup (2000m) and the Summer Cup (2000m).
Chris Waller won the 2013 Gosford Cup with Moriarty and he could have five runners in the 2015 edition of the race after he included Black Jag, Hoylonny, Multilateral, Permit and Pythagorean in the nominations for the $150,000 race.
Black Jag suffered a string of narrow defeats during his winter campaign and has not recorded a race win since he scored a dominant six lengths victory in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on June 21, while Hoylonny and Multilateral both finished outside the placings in the Gosford Cup.
Permit returned to a semblance of his best form in the Listed Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m), but he has not recorded a race win in over a year, while Pythagorean will be stepping up to Listed level for the first time in his racing career.
The 2015 Gosford Cup nominations are rounded out by Team Cummings-trained Blazing Dragon, Hawkesbury-based Casino Dancer, Tulloch Stakes winner Gallatin, Tattersalls Cup runner-up Ghost Protocol, Damien Lane-trained Nissile, imported galloper Oriental Lady and Bindi Cheers-trained Phrases.