Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Promising filly Ambitsiya bounced back to win the $21,000 Steelos Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night after disappointing as the $2 favourite when a well beaten sixth in a field of seven over 1730m three nights earlier.
She was the $2.90 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night when Gary Hall Jnr drove her to an all-the-way win, beating the $3 second fancy Madam Publisher by a neck, rating 1.56.9 over 2130m after smart final quarters of 28.4sec. and 28.9sec.
Madam Publisher dashed forward from out wide at barrier eight to race in the breeze. She fought on determinedly and will pay to follow.
“This was an improvement on Tuesday when she raced roughly,” said Hall. “She had been rough before but on Tuesday she was terrible, and I was surprised that she was favourite tonight.
“We made no changes since Tuesday, but I thought she would go better racing on the rails. It was a hot speed on Tuesday, particularly on that (heavy) track. She paced roughly on the final two bends. Tonight, she did it a little bit, but not so badly. She does hit a knee a bit.”
Ambitsiya, trained by Gary Hall Snr, is by Advance Attack and is the sixth foal out of Bettors Delight mare Is She Talking, who was trained by Hall in 2013-14 when she raced 32 times for eleven wins, eight placings and $81,615.
Ambitsiya’s half-sister Fake News won the group 3 Country Derby at Pinjarra in March 2019 before being retired with earnings of $177,412 from 14 wins and seven placings from 38 starts.