Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Gary Hall junior’s snap decision to vacate a handy position 250m after the start, three back on the pegs, with veteran pacer Alta Rhett paid dividends when the eight-year-old was successful in the $19,000 Westral Window Blinds Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
In an action-packed race Navy Street, the $2.35 favourite from barrier four, challenged hard for the early lead but was unable to prevent $7 chance Firerockfireroll from setting the pace.
With Navy Street in the breeze, Hall decided his best option was to ease Alta Rhett off the pegs and into the one-out, one-back position, following Navy Street. Middlepage ($6) then surged forward to race in the breeze, leaving Alta Rhett in sixth position and following Navy Street.
Approaching the bell, Showpony ($6.50) began a three-wide move from the rear, and Alta Rhett was shuffled back to eighth turning into the back straight before Hall urged the gelding forward, three wide, to keep Navy Street in a watertight pocket with 450m to travel.
Middlepage got to the front at the 400m, and Showpony got to the lead 180m later, and then My Ultimate Chevron ($13) took a narrow lead at the 100m before Alta Rhett quickly got the upper hand and went on to win by almost a length from My Ultimate Chevron, with Showpony a battling third.
Navy Street was badly blocked for a run until 120m from the post, and then he ran home strongly, out wide, to be an unlucky fifth.
Alta Rhett, trained in Bunbury by Sarah Wall, is raced by her husband Chris in partnership with the gelding’s breeder David Stringer.
Alta Rhett is by Alta Christiano and is the fourth foal out of Justlikechocolate (48 starts for 13 wins, 19 placings and $188,937), and he has earned $226,972 from 16 wins and 45 placings from 140 starts.