Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A sparkling trial win by recent New Zealand import Beetastic is a strong indication that the four-year-old mare should be successful at her Australian debut when she starts from the No. 3 barrier in the 1730m APG Mixed Sale Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She will be driven by Emily Suvaljko for trainer Michael Young, who said: “She is Hugotastic’s sister and goes okay. I wasn’t happy with her until I discovered a little problem with her about a week before the trial.
“I was able to sort that out and her trial was good, and since then she has been working like a good horse. She is a group 1 winner in New Zealand, so she should win on Friday.”
Beetastic was driven by Kylah Madden in an eleven-horse 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when she raced in the one-out and two-back position before finishing strongly and winning by a length and a half from Ginnivan, with final quarters of 29.6sec. and 28.3sec.
Beetastic showed her class when she scored a spectacular victory in the Group 1 2200m Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park in September 2024. She raced at the rear and was still 12TH with 250m to travel before she thundered home, out six wide, to snatch victory over Always B Magic in a blanket finish.
She has not raced since finishing third behind Ultimate Racy Girl over 1700m at Alexandra Park on December 31 last year. She has had 16 starts for two wins, six placings and stakes of $85,159.
Young, who also trains top-flight mares Penny Black and Heavenly Gipsy, is looking forward to strengthening his stable with the addition of Victorian-bred four-year-old mare Beach Diamond, who has earned $220,155 from ten wins and four seconds from 16 starts.
Beach Diamond finished a neck second to Soho Americano in the Group 1 Victoria Oaks over 2760m at Melton last October. She also won two group 2 feature events at Melton late last year, the APG Vicbred Super Series and the Nutrien Equine Breeders Crown.
Another strong winning chance from the Young stable on Friday night is Blaze Away, who will begin from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m Shop Budget Stockfeeds In Oakford Pace.
Five-year-old Blaze Away, who will be driven by Madden, will be having his first start since Madden drove him to a strong-finishing victory over Beyond Bling and Elwaddell on December 31.
Blaze Away raced in the breeze early and then three back on the pegs before finishing powerfully to win by eight lengths from the pacemaker Major Overs in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week. He rated 1.57.3 after final quarters of 29sec. and 27.9sec.
“His trial was good,” said Young. “He does his best work in front, so that’s why we will endeavour to lead.”