Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
WA-bred five-year-old Machnificent was having his first start over 1730m for 12 months — since he flew home to snatch a head victory in the Nights Of Thunder last January — when he lined up at barrier seven in the Perth Now Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Katja Warwick-trained horse was the $3.60 second favourite, with former open-class star, the nine-year-old Handsandwheels, the $2.90 favourite.
Machnificent was driven patiently by Kyle Harper, who was content to race in last position in the field of eight while Disco Under Fire was setting the pace — after a blazing opening quarter of 27.8sec. and a sizzling third quarter of 27.3sec.
Handsandwheels, who was unsuccessful in an early bid for the lead, was quickly angled to the pegs to trail the pacemaker. Harper started a three-wide forward thrust from last at the 900m and Machnificent sprinted strongly to surge to the front 460m from home, when Aiden De Campo then was able to ease Handsandwheels off the pegs.
Handsandwheels fought on determinedly, but Machnificent carried too many guns and won by a length at a 1.53 rate. Mea Culpa, who raced in the breeze for much of the way, was a close-up third.
The victory was Machnificent’s fourth over 1730m and it ended a losing run of eight. He was purchased for $20,000 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale and has now earned $192,137 for Warwick, who races the stallion in partnership with Ross Waddell and Waddell’s Pacing WA syndicate.