Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Coolup trainer Hayden Reeves has always had a keen eye for a bargain, and he has hit the jackpot with Thomson Bay, who is racing in sparkling form and kept up the good work with a splendid all-the-way victory in the $21,000 Cowden First For Insurance Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Six-year-old Thomson Bay has certainly progressed in fine style since his inauspicious debut as a two-year-old when he was a $126 outsider and finished eleventh, 80 metres behind the winner Caveman in a race at Pinjarra in June 2019.
It was a miserable effort which left his breeder and owner Peter King deeply disappointed and quite willing to sell the youngster to Reeves for just $1000.
Thomson Bay then had his first start for Reeves at Pinjarra in December 2020, 18 months after his feeble debut performance and he was a $10 chance for Reeves and driver Dylan Egerton-Green when he finished strongly from sixth at the bell to win by seven lengths from Hes Thunder.
Thomson Bay was a $3.30 chance on Friday night when he began from the No. 1 barrier and set the pace before winning from Ima Fivestar General and Lamandier, rating 1.56 over the 2130m journey, and giving reinsman Stuart McDonald a well-deserved 29TH birthday present.
This was Thomson Bay’s fifth start in his current campaign after being off the scene for 16 months while he was recovering from having his stifles cut and the gelding gives every indication of improving on his record for Reeves of 32 starts for 13 wins and six placings for stakes of $112,688.
“We have taken him along slowly and he is not just a frontrunner,” said Reeves. “Most of his better wins have been when he has not set the pace. In his previous preparation his metro wins included events in which he raced with a sit and finished strongly with final 400m sections of 27.5sec. and 27.7sec. and 27.5sec. and 27.6sec.
“Now we’re compelled to run him in Free-For-Alls or conditioned races. He won’t be leading and winning in that sort of company, but he will hold his own.”
Thomson Bay is by former champion American-bred pacer Mr Feelgood, a winner of 39 races and $3.3 million, with his major successes including the Interdominion championship on the Gold Coast in March 2009, the 2009 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley, the 2010 Victoria Cup and the 2010 Queensland Championship.
He is the only foal out of the Rich And Spoilt mare Geordie Bay, he had eleven starts for two wins (at Bunbury in September 2012), one placing and stakes of $7399.