Trainer Matt Smith says Esti Feny’s patient owners deserve the wins that have finally come their way and that there’s no reason the nine-year-old gelding can’t bring them more joy in the $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup over 2100m to be run at Newcastle on Saturday.

Jockey Rory Hutchings and trainer Joseph Pride will combine with a number of chances at Newcastle on Thursday headed by last start winner Heaven Bound ($4.80 on TAB) in the Tabcorp Benchmark 64 Handicap (1890m).

Favourite Bandi’s Boy must undergo a fitness test to determine if he lines up at Randwick.

Jay Ford has long been a believer that Bandi’s Boy has Country Championships written all over him.

Bandi’s Boy, the $2.30 TAB favourite for the $1 million Newhaven Park Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick on Saturday and well performed central west galloper Taren Lad, raced more than 50 years apart, however, were linked through ownership by John Woods.