Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
High-priced New Zealand import Ragazzo Mach was a comparative outsider at $20.10 — the longest price of his 29-start career — when he bounced back to his best form with an impressive victory in the $30,000 Retravision For All The Electrical Stuff You Love Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Mike Reed-trained four-year-old ended a losing sequence of nine and a ten-month drought, just six nights after his six-year-old half-brother I Cast No Shadow won the $500,000 Interdominion Championship final at Melton.
“That’s the first time he has had a bit of luck on his side,” said Reed. “And now we will be heading for the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups with him.
“Two starts ago when he raced in fast-class company he got carted back to last leaving the back, and he hit the line really good. Last week he sat outside the leader (when second to Ezana) and that’s not ideal.
“He is a speed horse and if he is able to lead in the Cups, he would be hard to beat. But if they are run up-tempo (and he races with a sit) he would be a swooper.”
Ragazzo Mach raced in sixth position, one-out and three-back, while Hampton Banner ($3.90) was setting a brisk pace, and the $1.53 favourite Prince Of Pleasure appearing in a bit of danger, locked up on the pegs and on the inside of Ragazzo Mach.
Gary Hall Jnr was able to ease Prince Of Pleasure off the pegs with just over a lap to travel, leaving Reed expecting Ragazzo Mach to be forced three wide. But Shannon Suvaljko cleverly avoided being pushed three wide and Ragazzo Mach then was able to follow the one-wide run of the favourite.
Ideal Agent ($11) raced outside the pacemaking Hampton Banner and took a narrow lead on the home turn before Prince Of Pleasure obtained the upper hand 60m from the post. But Ragazzo Mach sprinted home strongly, out four wide, to hit the front in the final couple of strides and win by a neck from Prince Of Pleasure, rating 1.56.6 over the 2536m, with the final three quarters of 28.9sec., 27.6sec. and 28.1sec.
Mighty Conqueror, winner of the WA Pacing Cup in January 2020, finished solidly into third place after enjoying an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position. “That was his fourth run after an extended break, and he is getting back to peak fitness,” said trainer Skye Bond.
Ragazzo Mach has had 29 starts for 11 wins, 11 placings and stakes of $142,150. He won at seven of his 13 New Zealand starts, while his 16 WA starts have produced four wins and eight placings.