Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mardella trainer Michael Young describes five-year-old October Reign as a freewheeling pacer, and he was delighted when they Victorian-bred gelding raced without cover all the way before getting up in the final stride to win from the pacemaker Peligroso in the 2130m Metlabs Irisndt Christmas Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He usually wins, or goes very close, when he leads, and it was nice to see him win from the breeze,” he said.
“October Reign has drawn barrier ten (the inside of the back line) at three of his five previous starts (for three fourth placings) and starting from the back line doesn’t suit him.
The polemarker and $2.65 favourite Bee Jays Boy led early but was unable to hold out the fast-starting Peligroso ($23), who began speedily from barrier seven and took up the running after 200m.
Gary Hall jnr then cleverly dictated the terms of the race from the breeze with October Reign, the $3.90 second favourite. Hall virtually lifted October Reign over the line to gain victory by a half-head.
October Reign, who rated 1.57.3, ended a losing sequence of seven and boosted his earnings to $101,777 from nine wins and 13 placings from 55 starts. A winner at four of his 31 Victorian starts and unsuccessful in races in New South Wales and Queensland, he has had won at five of his 20 WA starts.
He is by American stallion Sportswriter and is the second foal out of the Armbro Operative mare Show Me Amber, who raced 62 times for 11 wins, 16 placings and $64,151.
“October Reign is pretty consistent and has been an okay buy,” said Young. “He will probably win a few more races.”
Young completed a training double when 16-year-old Aaron Suvaljko drove Firefly, the $1.30 favourite, to victory over Peter Romeo in a 2180m event at Wagin. And Young maintained his splendid strike rate when he was successful with Sweet Lucifer at Gloucester Park on Saturday night when the three-year-old, driven by Shannon Suvaljko, scored a runaway victory over the odds-on favourite Im Lord Logan.