Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Not often does special attention to a horse’s tail lead to success. But that’s the case with comeback pacer Strike Team, who has resumed after a nine-month absence in grand style with successive victories at Gloucester Park.
Strike Team, a WA-bred four-year-old, was a $7.50 chance on Friday night when he raced three back on the pegs before finishing powerfully to score an easy win over the $2.65 favourite Wait For The Bell.
Strike Team was conspicuous, with an unusual distinguishing appearance with his tail tightly braided, bound from top to bottom with seven or eight strips of material.
“I’ve done this to prevent him from bucking,” said ace Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo. “He’s been a handful, wanting to buck all the time, and I’ve found braiding his tail has done the trick.
“It’s great to have him back after surviving two emergency operations early in the year when he was suffering from colic.”
Wait For The Bell, the polemarker in Friday night’s 1730m event, was beaten for early speed by $4.80 chance Cooper, who started from barrier five and burst to the front after a battle with the $4 second fancy Strauny which resulted in a fast 7.4sec. lead time.
Strauny was then left in the breeze, with Wait For The Bell trailing the pacemaker. Wait For The Bell eventually got to the front with about 80m to travel, but he was swamped by the fast-finishing Strike Team, who finished fast to win by 4m. There are more wins in store for Strike Team, who has a fine record of 34 starts for ten wins, ten placings and stakes of $81,276.