Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran Victorian-bred trotter Aldebaran Sundown notched his first metropolitan-class win when he made the 7Plus Trot a one-act affair at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Aldebaran Sundown trotted faultlessly for Nigel Johns, the renowned trained of square gaiters, with his runaway success which saw him burst straight to the front from the No. 3 barrier, set a brisk pace and win by eight lengths from Tricky Ric.
The eight-year-old Aldebaran Sundown, the $3.30 second favourite, rated 2.0.0, which set a track record for a trotter over a 2536m trip from a mobile start. This broke the record of 2.0.1 set by eight-year-old Rock Tonight when he was trained by Johns and driven by Morgan Woodley on January 24, 2020. Rock Tonight was part-owned by Paul Demicoli, the owner of Aldebaran Sundown.
Aldebaran Sundown raced 12 times in Victoria for two wins and two placings, and in WA he has had 53 starts for ten wins and 15 placings, taking his career record to 65 starts for 12 wins, 17 placings and $99,606 in prizemoney.
He is by New Zealand sire Skyvalley and is the sixth foal out of the unraced Sundon mare Aldebaran Sunset.
Eight-year-old Tricky Ric, the $3.60 third fancy, settled at the rear before Gary Hall Jnr sent him forward after 650m with a three-wide burst to move to the breeze. He just battled on into a distant second place, while the $2.65 favourite Patched, who replaced Tricky Ric in the breeze with two laps to travel, wilted to finish a well-beaten fifth.