Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Three-year-old All Is Well revealed his class and fighting qualities when he proved too good for his eleven older and more experienced rivals in the 2130m SEFS Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Champion reinsman Chris Lewis had to work hard to resist strong early and late challenges to go on and record an easy victory, with the $1.90 favourite beating the $3.80 second fancy Taking The Miki by three lengths, rating 1.56.3. Ima Fivestar General ($7.50) finished third, three and a half lengths behind the second horse.
Tubbs Farquhar, a $101 outsider, began speedily from barrier five and led by three-quarters of a length early, but was unable to cross All Is Well, who began from the No. 2 barrier.
Taking The Miki, who started from the inside of the back line, settled in seventh position and Chris Voak eased her off the inside after 500m. Taking The Miki began a three-wide move with 1050m to travel and she challenged All Is Well strongly in the final circuit, with final quarters of 28.2sec. and 29.4sec.
All Is Well shrugged off Taking The Miki’s challenge and raced away in the final stages to record an easy win.
All Is Well is trained by Katja Warwick, who races the Foreclosure gelding in partnership with her mother Doris Schreyvogel. All Is Well has now earned $90,899 — a good return after being purchased for $16,000 at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale.
All Is Well is the first foal out of the Auckland Reactor mare Cap In Hand, who was trained by Warwick when she raced six times for three wins as a two-year-old in 2018. Cap In Hand is out of Elite Angel (62 starts for 12 wins, 14 placings and $128,702) and is a half-brother to Robbie Rocket, who finished third behind Mighty Ronaldo in the 2020 Golden Slipper and has earned $142,425 from ten wins and 28 placings from 69 starts.
“They didn’t leave All Is Well alone tonight,” said Warwick. “He is quite a big, gross horse who is learning how to race and kick in and fight.
“He is a carbon copy of his dam; he is the same size and colour, has the same white markings and a similar calm temperament. My mother has been a lucky charm, with her share in All Is Well after having shares in Red Hot Roxy (32 starts for 13 wins, eight placings and $162,550) and Princess Major (36 starts for four wins, 15 placings and $46,213).”