Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Chris Voak was happy to take over the preparation of Hi Suga Rush just over a month ago, and he was delighted when he drove the New Zealand-bred gelding to a fighting win in the $21,000 Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hi Suga Rush, the $2.80 favourite, began swiftly from out wide at barrier seven before challenging $41 chance A Duke To Be hard for the early lead when the lead time was a quick 7.4sec., followed by a sizzling opening quarter of 27.4sec.
Hi Suga Rush took the lead after 550m and bowled along in front before winning by a length from the $3.70 second fancy Allwood Mach, who finished solidly from sixth at the bell.
Hi Suga Rush rated 1.55.7, and Voak said he expected the six-year-old Sweet Lou gelding to get down to rating 1.54 over 1730m.
“With his gate speed I think he will prove to be better suited over a mile in America,” said Voak. “Maybe, I’ll give him a few more runs before selling him to America. It was good to get a result tonight, first-up. He lifted off the canvas.”
Voak said that Serpentine trainer Giles Inwood had bought Hi Suga Rush for $12,000 about five weeks ago before offering him the gelding. Voak accepted the offer and syndicated the pacer to several stable clients.
Hi Suga Rush was racing first-up for six weeks on Friday night, and the win ended a losing sequence of 14. The gelding has now raced 33 times for nine wins, four placings and $68,058. Hi Suga Rush is an older brother to the speedy Lincoln Lou, who has had 31 starts for five wins, ten placings and $100,249. They are out of Bettors Delight mare Sea Of Gold, who won twice from 25 starts in New Zealand.
Sea Of Gold is a full-sister of The Gold Ace, who earned $1,247,053 from 22 wins and 18 placings from 69 starts. The Gold Ace’s four Group 1 victories in New Zealand included the New Zealand Derby in April 2011 when he beat Terror To Love. He also raced twice at Gloucester Park in 2011, winning the Four-Year-Old Championship (beating Lovers Delight) and the Golden Nugget (beating Mustang Mach).
Sea Of Gold also produced Gold Elite (35 starts for six wins, 12 placings and $70,037), Lets Strike The Gold (87 starts for 15 wins, 15 placings and $180,724) and Dark Energy (259 starts for 34 wins, 55 placings and $449,832).