Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran pacer Regal Cheval is thoroughly enjoying the twilight of his career, according to his trainer and driver Gary Hall Jnr.
Ten-year-old Regal Cheval was all the rage as the $1.40 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of nine in the $21,000 Westside Auto Service Vehicle Detailing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave Hall an armchair drive.
As expected, Regal Cheval began speedily and was in front after 50m before dawdling through the lead time in 39.4sec. and then ambling through the opening quarters in 33.1sec. and 31.6sec.
He dashed over the final quarters in 29sec. and 28.1sec. and won by a length and a half from the $3.80 second fancy Franklin Delano, who fought on gamely after racing without cover for much of the way.
“He was dropping a long way in grade, and it looked like his race,” said Hall. “Even with the slow sectionals I thought he would still wait for me to ask him to go. And he did it easily. He is happy and enjoying racing.”
Regal Cheval ended a losing sequence of 16 and took his record to 155 starts for 17 wins, 44 placings and $222,651 in stakes. He won ten times in Victoria and now has won seven races in WA.