Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star WA-bred pacer Lavra Joe finished strongly when fourth in the Nullarbor last April, and now the seven-year-old’s owner-trainer Ray Jones has his sights on the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race at Gloucester Park on April 25.
He was speaking after Maddison Brown had driven Lavra Joe to an effortless victory in the $31,000 Joe and Margaret Petricevich Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“We’re there to be picked (by a slot holder),” said Jones. “That was a nice easy win; and he is always hard to beat when he gets to the front.”
Lavra Joe was the $1.30 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of eight, and Brown sent the gelding forward, three wide, from the outset before he dashed past Hoppys Way and into the lead after 400m.
After a smart lead time of 36.5sec. Lavra Joe relaxed through the opening quarters of the final mile in 31.6sec. and 30.7sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 27sec. He coasted to a two-length victory over $7.50 chance Hoppys Way, rating 1.56.8 over the 2130m.
This boosted Lavra Joe’s record to 36 wins, 18 placings and $814,365 in prizemoney from 82 starts, with Brown saying: “He has been going super, and he didn’t have much luck last week (when he locked wheels with another runner on the home turn and finished last behind Hampton Banner). I got a very easy first half of the race tonight.”
Jones said that Lavra Joe would keep racing, and he was looking at the $50,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup on February 21 as well as the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup (March 3) and the $50,000 Bunbury Cup (March 29).