Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred The Miki Taker showed that he will be a worthy candidate in upcoming open-class events when he was successful at his first attempt in top company, scoring an impressive victory in the $31,000 Westside Auto Fixed Price Servicing Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Tonight, he’s done the job, sitting up,” said trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo.
“I think that when he is up in grade he travels better on a helmet (with a trail). Driven in that capacity he needs things to go his way. He showed tonight that he is up with them.”
The Miki Taker has been a consistent performer since he won the Group 1 Pearl Classic as a two-year-old in June 2021, and he now has earned $269,508 from 13 wins and 17 placings from 43 starts.
He was a $6.30 chance from the No. 6 barrier and De Campo did not bustle him early and was content to settle down in sixth position in the one-wide line while $7 chance Hampton Banner was bowling along in his customary role as pacemaker.
Jett Star ($3.70) raced in the breeze, and nine-year-old Mighty Conqueror, the $3.50 favourite at his first appearance for 12 months, enjoyed an ideal sit in the one-out, one-back position.
Deni Roberts eased Mighty Conqueror three wide with 450m to travel, and De Campo followed that pacer all the way. Mighty Conqueror took a narrow lead in the straight, but The Miki Taker carried too many guns and got to the front in the closing stages to win by a neck, rating 1.56.1 over the 2130m trip, with final quarters of 29.2sec. and 28.3sec.
Mighty Conqueror’s cause was not helped by a flat tyre which was punctured about 400m from home.