Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Montana Glory strengthened her prospects of developing into a major player in the rich feature events for mares later this year when she gave a superb performance to win the 2130m Al Pal Bell Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was her third win from four starts in her current preparation, and her trainer Mike Reed and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko are looking forward with much anticipation to Montana Glory contesting the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 8 and the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 15.
Montana Glory was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night, and she was not extended in setting the pace and beating $23 chance La Vista by almost four lengths, rating 1.57.5 after a slow lead time of 38.5sec. and opening quarters of 31.1sec. and 29.9sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 27.6sec.
“This was a perfect race for her, not having to fight for the early lead with the No. 1 horse (Maddy Maddy) not having a lot of gate speed,” said Suvaljko. “And she is running through the line hard.”
Montana Glory is improving in leaps and bounds and she now has had 25 starts for six wins, 12 placings and $103,174. Her 18 WA starts have resulted in five wins and eight placings.
She is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of Mach Three mare Pacific Glory, whose elder half-brother Hug The Wind amassed $561,426 in stakes from 17 wins and 41 placings from 100 starts. Hug The Wind won eight times in New Zealand and was successful twice in Australia before being sent to the United States where he won another seven times.
Hug The Wind showed his class when he finished a half-head second to Ideal For Real in the New South Wales Derby at Menangle in March 2015.