Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A bold bid by trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams to set the pace with Ima Fivestar General failed, but the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old was capable of racing in the breeze before finishing determinedly to win the 1730m Streamer.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The polemarker Rubins Plight was all the rage as the $1.12 favourite from barrier one, but he was beaten out by $6.70 second fancy Ima Fivestar General.
However, Ima Fivestar General was unable to retain the lead when Deni Roberts got $41 outsider October Reign to begin brilliantly from the outside barrier in the field of eight. October Reign burst to the front after 200m, and Williams was content to race in the breeze.
Rubins Plight made an unsuccessful challenge for the lead after 400m, with Gary Hall Jnr then opting to take the trail behind the pacemaker.
After a fast opening 400m section of 27.8sec. the pace slackened with a second quarter of 30sec. followed by final sections of 28.4sec. and 29sec.
Ima Fivestar General challenged hard for the lead 300m from home and the gelding got on terms with October Reign before gaining a narrow lead on the home turn and going on to win by a neck from the fast-finishing $81 outsider Deeorse, who finished a head in front of October Reign. Ima Fivestar General rated 1.54.4.
“Ima Fivestar General has been very consistent,” said Williams. “I thought his run last week when second to Nullarbor Navajo was very good, and I was confident he would get the job done tonight.
“I was hoping to lead and didn’t expect October Reign to fly out and get to the front. I nearly crossed Rubins Plight, but I couldn’t hold out October Reign.”
Ima Fivestar General has earned $182,032 from 13 wins and 20 placings from 53 starts, with Williams saying: “He is a very good earner but is a tier below our best Free-For-All horses. He is very handy and I’m also looking forward to Brickies Dream and Opal Hunter racing. I’ve also got a good crop of babies coming through.”
Rubins Plight fought on gamely to finish a close-up fifth, with Hall saying: “He felt awful and was hanging down badly all the way.”
Hall, who was successful with Jawsoflincoln in the Nights Of Thunder, landed another feature event when he drove the 30m sole backmarker Watching Our Coin in the $35,000 Northam Cup on Saturday night. He also won with the Katja Warwick-trained Travelban at Northam.