Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Blitzembye disappointed last Friday week when he faded in the final lap to finish tenth behind Lavra Joe in the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Championship. But he bounced back to form in fine style at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he scored an impressive victory in the 1730m Westral Meshlock Security Doors And Screens Pace.
He was a $6.40 chance from the No. 5 barrier, and Shannon Suvaljko stole a march on his rivals by getting the son of Bettors Delight away brilliantly to charge straight to the front.
Blitzembye set a brisk pace, with the $1.85 favourite Glenledi Chief working hard in the breeze. Blitzembye went on to win by a length from $6 chance Beat City, who surged home, out wide, from sixth at the bell. The final 800m was covered in 57sec. and Blitzembye rated 1.54.9.
“I was a bit disappointed with his run the previous week,” said trainer Mike Reed. “I blamed myself. I think I might have overdone him during the week when I upped his work. In the past week I haven’t hoppled him, and he has improved.
“Blitzembye will run in the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic next Friday night, and then, hopefully, in the $200,000 Golden Nugget two weeks later.
“I didn’t expect him to get straight to the front tonight. This was the first time we had really tested him for speed (at the start), mainly because in New Zealand he was put out of the draw in mobiles because of his bad manners. So, we hadn’t chased him out at the start, but tonight we decided to come out and hope to get outside of Glenledi Chief. And it turned out that he was able to get to the front.”
Blitzembye, a winner at two of his eight starts in New Zealand, has won at 11 of his 23 WA starts and now has a record of 31 starts fort 13 wins, six placings and $117,697.