Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Montana D J, described by his driver Gary Hall Jnr as a cunning horse who knows all the tricks, bounced back to his best form with a powerful victory in the $23,000 Lori K Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Montana D J, trained by Michael Young, was the $1.90 favourite from barrier two who had to work hard in the early stages before getting to the front after 450m, following a fast lead time of 36.2sec. set by the polemarker and $11 chance Showpony.
Great early pressure was applied by Hillview Bondi ($7.50) who began from out wide at barrier seven before being sent forward with a three-wide burst. Montana D J survived this pressure to take the lead from Showpony, leaving Hillview Bondi in the breeze.
The pace was on throughout the event, with the quarters being run in 28.9sec., 29.2sec., 28.6sec. and 30sec. Montana D J won by just under a length from $16 chance My Ultimate Chevron, who rattled home from last at the bell.
Montana D J rated a smart 1.55.5 in winning for the second time from eight appearances in WA, following six wins and nine placings from 30 starts in New Zealand.
“If it wasn’t for Hillview Bondi (charging forward) we probably wouldn’t have got to the front,” said Hall. “Montana D J doesn’t always apply himself in the best manner.
“He did a very good job in New Zealand as a youngster, and sometimes when they get a bit older, they lose a bit of their will to win.”
Montana D J raced twelve times as a two-year-old when he was successful in the Group 1 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes at Alexandra Park. He is by American stallion Captaintreacherous and is the ninth foal out of former champion mare One Dream, who amassed $899,487 in prizemoney from 18 wins, four seconds and one third from 23 starts.
One Dream won seven Group 1 feature events and two at Group 2 level. Five of her victories came from seven Australian starts, including the Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley in July 2007.