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Travers striking gold with in-form Gold Tracker

Monday, 08 Dec 2025
Travers striking gold with in-form Gold Tracker

Michael Travers has found the secret to his 50-start veteran Gold Tracker, who is racing in career-best form following back-to-back wins at Albury.

The 6YO Xtravagant gelding, known fondly as Eddie and owned by his wife, Jodie Travers, was ‘retired more times than anyone can count’.

Still, persistence is key, and with the assistance of Victorian trainer and chiropractor Peter Smith, Gold Tracker has discovered a new lease on life.

Racing at Albury on November 24, Gold Tracker won for Rebecca Bronett Prag in the 1600m Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Going back-to-back, Pierre Boudvillain was in the saddle on Saturday, with the Wagga galloper getting home in the nick of time to win the 1600m Benchmark 58 Handicap.

“He’s been retired no less than five times by me, and it was so frustrating that I could not get him right,” Travers said.

“It felt like he wasn’t 100%, and I brought him in and popped him out so many times that I threw my hands in the air, and then I made phone calls to give him away as a riding horse.

“Then, Peter ran his hands over him and fixed him, and we’ve been going forward ever since.

“He’s a different horse, and now there doesn’t feel like there is anything holding him back.”
While racing in great form, the six-time winner doesn’t always make things easy on himself in races, and at Albury on Saturday, Gold Tracker looked gone for all money before a strong ride by Boudvillain got him firing in the final furlong before getting home to win by the barest of margins.

“If you backed him at Albury, you would have ripped your ticket up at the 600m,” Travers laughed.

“To the credit of Rebecca and Pierre, they worked and worked for it, and without their work, he drops out the back and doesn’t win his past two starts.”

Travers may look at a trip to town for Gold Tracker next week, with the 1600m Benchmark 64 Handicap for horses 5YO and over at Warwick Farm arriving at the right time on the racing calendar.

“We’ll just try and find the right race,” Travers said.

“There is a low-grade race at Warwick Farm next Wednesday, but if that doesn’t work out, we’ll more than likely start him in a (Benchmark) 58 or a low-class (Benchmark) 66 between a mile and 1800m.”

It’s been a good season for Travers, who has trained 18 winners at 10.8% in 2025/26, and he’s hoping that success continues at Wagga on Tuesday.

Travers will start Demi God (Josh Richards, 57.5kg) in the 1600m Class 1/Maiden Plate, Teresprit (Rebecca Bronett Prag, 58kg) in the 1400m Benchmark 58 Handicap, and possibly Santolini (56kg) in the 1200m Class Two Handicap.

Story: Jeff Hanson
Image: Trackpix Photography

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