Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Four-year-old gelding Soho Moonraker is bred to be a prolific winner. He is by champion American sire Sweet Lou and his dam Aussie Made Lombo and his granddam Tailamade Lombo enjoyed outstanding careers on the racetrack before being retired to the breeding barn.
Soho Moonraker, bred and owned by Rob Watson and trained by Kim Prentice, gave a sample of his class with an effortless victory in the 1730m Retravision Online Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Soho Moonraker was having his third start in Western Australia and was the $2.10 favourite from the awkward draw at barrier No. 6. Mitch Miller got the gelding away to a flying start, and he was untroubled to lead all the way and beat the $3.40 second fancy Major Freeway by three and a half lengths, rating 1.56.2 after final quarters of 28.7sec. and 27.5sec.
“It’s good to know that we’re back on track with him,” said Miller. “There was a bit of chat about how good he was after his trial last month (leading and winning by a length from star mare Steno, rating 1.56.9 over 2185m at Pinjarra).
“He then disappointed a couple of times (sixth at Pinjarra and then a four-length second to Cloud Nine at Gloucester Park). Now, at least we know we’re back on track. He is a much better horse when he’s sat up; he has a lethal turn of foot.”
Soho Moonraker arrived in WA about six months ago after winning four races on Victorian country tracks and having three unplaced runs in New South Wales.
“We have been battling some problems with him, and he had a hoof abscess which took a long time to come good,” said Prentice. “He is still not a hundred per cent.
“He is a nice horse who has good gate speed and goes well in front. But in better grades I think he will be better with a sit.”
Soho Moonraker now has raced 20 times for five wins, four placings and $42,664. Aussie Made Lombo earned $578,456 from 22 wins, 19 seconds and seven thirds from 62 starts. She won the Group 1 Gold Tiara for two-year-old fillies at Bathurst in March 2010 and the Group 1 APG Classic at Albion Park two months later.
Aussie Made Lombo’s final twelve starts were at Gloucester Park where she won three times, including a victory in the Group 2 Empress Stakes on March 1, 2013, at her final appearance.
Tailamade Lombo was an outstanding performer who raced 110 times for 49 wins, 25 placings and $1,354,978 in stakes.
Aussie Made Lombo’s third foal is Soho Interceptor (by Art Major) who has had 41 starts for five wins, 12 placings and $177,634. As a two-year-old Soho Interceptor won two Group 1 features for two-year-old fillies in 2018, the Sales Classic and the Westbred Classic.