Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Talented New Zealand-bred four-year-old Howard Hughes gave champion trainer Greg Bond a pleasant birthday present when he scored an impressive victory in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Howard Hughes, the $2.40 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of seven, was driven like the best horse in the field by Dylan Egerton-Green, who sent him forward with a three-wide burst in the early stages before racing in the breeze while the $3.40 second fancy Boom Time was setting a solid pace.
Howard Hughes proved too strong for Boom Time in the final stages and won comfortably by 2m, rating 1.56.4 over the 2130m journey. This took his record to two starts in New Zealand for one win, and 25 starts in Western Australia for Greg and Skye Bond for 13 wins and four placings. He now has earned $120,183.
Egerton-Green kept up the good work by driving two winners at Northam on Saturday night. He was successful with the Colin Brown-trained two-year-old Loucid Dreams ($1.30) and the Hayden Reeves-trained Miss Pocket Rocket ($8).