Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Well-performed pacer Solesseo Matuca broke through for his first win in Western Australia at his seventh start in the State when he raced without cover before finishing strongly to beat the pacemaker and $1.38 favourite Soho Santorini in the 2130m Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Solesseo Matuca was the $3.80 second favourite from the No. 2 barrier and Gary Hall Jnr was content to race without cover while the polemaker Soho Santorini had his own way in front.
After a slow lead time of 37.9sec. and modest opening quarters of 30.3sec. and 29.3sec. Soho Santorini increased the tempo with final 400m sections of 28.2sec. and 27.8sec.
Solesseo Matuca surged to the front 120m from the post and won by more than a length, rating 1.56.
“I was a bit worried when Showpony was scratched just before the start because I was planning on sitting on Showpony (expected to go to the breeze),” said Hall. “But Solesseo Matuca travelled well in the breeze, and he was going so strongly at the 300m that I though he was ‘home.’
“I think that going up in grade will suit him as a sit and kick player. However, I have got to get him driving better. He is a nice horse and is not nasty, but he wants to do his thing his way.”
Solesseo Matuca is by American stallion A Rocknroll Dance and is the fifth foal out of Princess Dilinger, who raced 86 times for 13 wins, 21 placings and $65,263. He now has earned $254,745 from 11 wins and 21 placings from 52 starts.
He is a half-brother to Top The Ace (220 starts for 16 wins, 58 placings and $165,687) and Youaremy Sunshine (27 starts for nine wins, seven placings and $166,610).