Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran horseman Lindsay Harper is the trainer, driver and part-owner of promising four-year-old Elwaddell, and he is enjoying great success with the American Ideal pacer who scored an impressive victory in the 1730m Vale Laurie Robinson Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The win rekindled happy memories for Harper of his close association with Elwaddell’s close relation, the Ray Jones-trained Disco Force, who was a star performer in the early 2000s and retired with earnings of $268,416 from 27 wins and 20 placings from 99 starts.
Disco Force won at his eight starts as a two-year-old in 2000, with Harper in the sulky for the final six of those victories which included the Pearl Classic, Golden Slipper and State Sires Series final.
Elwaddell was a $35.10 outsider on Friday night when he began from the No. 2 barrier and enjoyed a perfect trail behind the pacemaker and $1.50 favourite Crowd Control.
Crowd Control, who began from the No. 1 barrier, was softened up early when $2.90 chance Vegas Strip was smartest to begin from barrier 3 and led by almost a full length but was unable to cross Crowd Control.
Harper eased Elwaddell into the clear in the home straight and he finished powerfully to win by a half-length from $34 chance Lucapelo, who ran on along the inside to relegate Crowd Control to third.
This gave Elwaddell his first metropolitan-class win and took his career earnings to $66,733 from eight wins and seven placings from 39 starts.
“Elwaddell will go on and win more races,” said a happy Harper.