Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Exciting pacer Lavra Joe broke through in wonderful fashion for his first success in Free-For-All company when he scored an impressive victory over Gambit and Diego in the $30,000 Mia and Macy Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He will line up in the $50,000 August Cup over 2536m next Friday night,” said his enthusiastic owner-trainer Ray Jones. “He seems to like racing, and there are some nice $50,000 events coming up and leading into the Golden Nugget in December.
“And after the Golden Nugget we’ll be looking at the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup. I think Lavra Joe is as good as any pacer in WA.”
Lavra Joe was the $2.20 second fancy in Friday night’s race in which he started from the outside barrier in the field of six. Gambit, trained by Gary Hall Snr and having his second start after a spell, was the $2.10 favourite from the No. 1 barrier.
Hall drove Gambit hard in a concerted bid to set the pace, but the gelding lacked the speed to prevent Lavra Joe, driven by Chris Lewis, from bursting to the front 70m after the mobile barrier vehicle had sent the field on its way.
“The plan was to go forward,” said Jones. “I thought that Gambit did not have the gate speed to hold out Lavra Joe, who is a very fast horse out of the gate.”
Gambit enjoyed the run of the race behind Lavra Joe, who after a lead time of 37sec. ran the final 400m sections in 31.3sec., 30.1sec., 29.1sec. and 26.9sec. Gambit was blocked for a clear run until the final 120m — when he finished solidly to be second, one length behind the winner. Diego ($5.50) was third after racing in the one-out, one-back position.
Lavra Joe rated 1.56.6 over the 2130m and took his record to 39 starts for 23 wins, nine placings and stakes of $346,769.