Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Prominent owner Jim Giumelli was delighted with Hoppys Way’s win in the $23,000 Steelos Open Every Race Meeting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he announced ambitious long-range plans for the New Zealand-bred pacer.
“I would like to race him in the Nullarbor next April,” he said after Shannon Suvaljko had driven the Kevin Keys, trained Hoppys Way, to a fast-finishing head victory over the $1.95 favourite Street Hawk.
Hoppys Way, driven conservatively for a change, was a $8.80 chance who raced three back on the pegs in fifth position in the field of six before he finished strongly, out wide, to get up and win in a three-way photo finish, rating 1.58.8 over the 2536m, with final quarters of 28.9sec. and 28.1sec.
He has shown a liking for 2536m (the distance of the $1,250,000 Nullarbor to be run on April 19) having won three times over this distance as well as setting the pace and finishing second to Tricky Miki in the WA Derby last November.
“Hoppys Way has good starting speed and good finishing speed and has a very low heart rate,” said Giumelli. “He was lot No. 3 when I picked him out at the 2020 yearling sale in New Zealand, and I bought him for $NZ65,000.”
Hoppys Way, who is by Art Major, has won twice from his three appearances in his current campaign and looks set for a bright future. He now has raced 33 times for ten wins and six placings for earnings of $136,590.
He had led in six of his previous nine wins, but Keys decided on a change of tactics from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night. “He is versatile and when held up he can duck home really good,” said Keys. Raven Banner, a $7 chance from barrier four, began speedily and set a solid pace, with his stablemate Street Hawk working in the breeze before getting to a narrow lead in the final stages but failing to hold out the fast-finishing Hoppys Way.