Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred five-year-old Navy Street went into the HTA Access Solutions Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night with the unflattering record of tenth placings at each of his three previous outings in mobile events.
But he relished a return to standing-start racing when Capel trainer Aiden De Campo drove him to a surprise win as a $20.30 chance to give De Campo the second leg of a double, following Copy Cat Queen’s win at $35.20 in the opening event.
This was Navy Street’s first metropolitan-class success and his tenth win from 40 starts, with six of those wins coming in standing-start events.
“It was back to a stand tonight and we got a perfect run,” said De Campo. “They ran along which got the backmarkers off the bridle, and Navy Street was good enough to get the job done.
“He seems to go better from the stands. In mobiles, he gets keen off the gate.”
Skippys Delight ($12) set a solid pace on Friday night, and he was followed by Navy Street, with the 20m backmarker Hector in the breeze.
De Campo was able to ease Navy Street off the pegs 470m from home when Hector began to wilt and dropped back. Navy Street took the lead with 230m to travel and won by a half-length from $8.50 chance Otis, who had galloped at the start and then thundered home from last at the bell.