Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred gelding Tokyo Joe maintained his excellent form in standing-start events when he began safely from the 10m mark and enjoyed a perfect passage, one-out and one-back, before finishing strongly to win convincingly, by more than a length, from On Fast Forward in the 2096m Happy Birthday Ryan Pontillo Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Part-owned, trained and driven by Robbie Williams, Tokyo Joe ($5.10) boasts a fine record of nine wins, six seconds and two thirds from just 28 starts. His four wins from 13 New Zealand starts were in stands and in WA he has won three standing-start and two mobile events.
After a false start and a lengthy delay, Chris Voak sent the $3.40 favourite My Mdina to the front and the mare travelled easily before wilting to finish a disappointing fifth.
On Fast Forward ($23) maintained his sound form when he raced in the breeze throughout and fought on doggedly to be third.
Star mare Princess Mila, a $5.50 chance at her first appearance since winning the $50,000 Trotters Cup on New Year’s Eve, began speedily from the 40m back mark, but she experienced no luck at all in running before locking wheels with Lightning Calder on the home turn.
by Ken Casellas