Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Little-known mare Rattlin Lilly produced an exceptional performance to win the 2130m Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night to cap an outstanding evening in the sulky for Deni Roberts and champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
Rattlin Lilly’s easy victory as the $2.80 second fancy over the $1.65 favourite Dark Eyes completed a quartet of winners for Roberts and the Bond stable, following earlier successes with Tualou, Lusaka and Jett Star.
This gave the 28-year-old Roberts her third quartet of winners at a Gloucester Park meeting and took her season’s tally to 76.
“But this was the first time I had won a race with a horse who had raced three wide for almost the entire journey,” she said.
Rattlin Lilly began from the No. 3 barrier and settled down in sixth position, one-out and two-back, while Dark Eyes, from barrier two, strolled to the front and led from the $34 chance Hengheng, who had dashed forward from barrier eight to race in the breeze.
Roberts vacated the one-two sit when she switched Rattlin Lilly three wide 400m after the start. But the five-year-old mare was unable to cross to the breeze and raced three wide until she took the lead 70m from the post and won by a length and a half, rating 1.56.6.
“I left the one-two position because she needs to be up there,” explained Roberts. “I reckoned if I hadn’t gone when I did, I would have been four wide, minimum, in the last lap. However, in hindsight, I’d say Rattlin Lilly still would’ve won if I’d stayed in the one-wide line.”
Rattlin Lilly is owned by her breeder Rob Gartrell. She is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Baileys Gold, who earned $74,019 from 12 wins and 11 placings from 67 starts. Baileys Gold was retired after winning a race at Gloucester Park on February 28, 2017.
Rattlin Lilly has raced 24 times for five wins, eight seconds and two thirds for $42,748 in stakes. She is extremely tough and looks set for a bright career.
“I knew that we would have to do it tough but not that tough,” said Roberts. “At the end she just found another gear, and she has a pretty exciting future.”