Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Ardens Horizon galloped and lost three lengths in the standing-start Steelos Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night before he overcame this misdemeanour and scored an easy win.
He was the $2.90 second favourite from the inside of the 10-metre line for Byford trainer Callan Suvaljko, who quickly got him back into his stride and dashed him forward to hit the front after 550m.
He was then joined by the $2 favourite Otis, and Suvaljko made life tough for him by dashing through the third quarter in 28.5sec. Ardens Horizon then coasted over the final 400m in 30.2sec. and beat Otis by just over a length.
Ardens Horizon, a winner at one of his ten New Zealand starts (at Alexandra Park as a two-year-old), has flourished under Suvaljko’s care, with his 23 West Australian starts producing eleven wins and eight placings.
He has shone after resuming from a spell, and his five starts in his four-year-old campaign have resulted in three wins and two seconds. He is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the first foal out of the unraced mare Arden’s Rose. His 33 starts have produced 12 wins, nine placings and $112,220 in stakes.