The final day of The Pinnacles takes place this Saturday with the Group Three Gold Rush, where we bid farewell to champion jockey Damien Oliver.
Oliver will partner single figures chances Munhamek on Saturday in the feature and his final ride.
Run under Weight For Age conditions over the Ascot 1400m, The Gold Rush was previously known as the A.J Scahill Stakes and since the revamp of Perth's premier carnival has gone from a $200 000 contest to a $1.5 million one.
The Listed Starstruck Classic (1600m) will play curtain raiser to the feature and is the only other black type event on the card. It is run for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up, under set weights and penalties.
In this week's final edition of Pinnacles Pointers for 2023, we run our eye over the history of the Gold Rush (A.J Scahill) using the advanced Racing & Sports advanced ratings system.
Gold Rush (1400m) - $1.5 million
| Last Year's Winner & Rating | The Astrologist - 117 |
| 5yr Avg Winning Rating | 112 |
| Best Winner & Rating (Since 2000) | Takeover Target ('08) - 124 |
The obvious conclusion to draw as to why last year's winning rating stands five pounds above the five-year average is due to the significant prizemoney increase, in turn attracting deeper and more elite fields.
Another factor includes the 5yr Avg. being dragged down by the COVID-affected 2021 edition, where the then seven-year-old Valour Road scored by long neck in a six-horse field. A stalwart of Perth and 2021 winner Valour Road, lines up for the fourth time in the feature.
In 2008 in what has stood to be the greatest edition of the Gold Rush, champion sprinter Takeover Target stayed on in Perth after winning the Winterbottom to take the then named Scahill easily against four rivals a fortnight later.
*For a more comprehensive overview of this weekend's Gold Rush and suggested plays, written by one of Racing & Sports' sharp analysts Trent Crebbin, head here!
