Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Eleven of the twelve runners in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night went into the Group 2 feature event after several lead-up runs.
The odd mare out was Aardiebytheseaside, who was racing first-up after a 20-week absence, and despite her splendid record of 23 wins for earnings of $662,322, she was overlooked by most punters and was a $30 outsider.
Aardiebytheseaside was an odds-on favourite at ten of her 33 WA appearances with her longest price being $10 when she began from the outside barrier, had a tough run and finished third behind Little Darling and Copy Cat Queen in the Empress Stakes last April.
Trained by Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Deni Roberts, Aardiebytheseaside made the winning move from the outset when she burst straight to the front from the generally awkward barrier five.
She beat out the $1.60 favourite Delightful Peg from the No. 3 barrier, with that mare gaining a favourable trip in the one-out and one-back position in the first lap after Penny Black ($19) dashed forward to race in the breeze.
Aardiebytheseaside maintained a strong pace and covered the final three quarters in 28.8sec., 27.6sec. and 28.5sec. and she held on doggedly to win by a half-length from Delightful Peg, who was held up until the late stages and then finished powerfully, out wide.
“We had her pretty forward and knew she was ready to run a race,” said Bond. “The barrier was a bit tricky, so we elected to gun her off the arm, and we thought she was a chance to get across, and she got a reasonably comfortable lead time (37sec.). Deni got her going and opened them up a bit before getting a bit weary on the line.
“The run tonight will be excellent for her, leading into the Mares Classic in a fortnight.”
Aardiebytheseaside rated a smart 1.55 over the 2130m in the Norms Daughter Classic, and the 2536m trip in the $150,000 Westral Mares Classic will pose no problems. She won this event two years ago when she led from barrier two and defeated Steno.
Then in the Mares Classic 12 months ago Aardiebytheseaside began from barrier four and raced without cover before finishing fifth behind Little Darling.
Aardiebytheseaside has won at 16 of her 34 starts in WA and boasts a wonderful record of 55 starts for 24 wins, 16 placings and $719,742 in prizemoney.