Ken Casellas | Photo: Pacepix
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Chris Voak maintained his impressive strike rate with WA-bred five-year-old Carabao when he drove him to victory in the $30,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound BOTRA Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Carabao, the $3.60 second fancy, set a solid pace before sprinting over the final quarters in 27.8sec. and 28.2sec. to win by a half-length from $6 chance Watching Our Coin, rating 2.1.3 in the 2503m.
Voak took over the preparation of Carabao about five months ago, and the gelding’s eleven starts for him have resulted in three wins, five seconds and three fourths to boost his career record to 50 starts for nine wins, 17 placings and $109,852 in stakes.
Carabao has a splendid record in stands — six starts for three wins, two seconds and one fourth, and Voak is planning to run him in the $30,000 Marathon Handicap, a stand over 2902m on August 11.
Carabao rated 2.0.4 when he led and won easily from Verano in a 2503m stand a fortnight before Friday night’s event. “He didn’t go as good as I thought he would go,” said Voak. “Maybe I might have tracked him too hard in the week leading up to the race, and he didn’t travel as strongly as he did at his previous start.
“But he still did well; he knuckled down and held off Watching Our Coin. Maybe he needs a little break.”
Watching Our Coin, a winner in mobiles at his four previous starts, fought on doggedly after working hard in the breeze throughout, while Chal Patch, the $2.45 favourite, was desperately unlucky. He trailed the pacemaker all the way and was hopelessly blocked for a run in the final circuit.
Carabao, bred and owned by Bryan Cousins, could well be following in the footsteps of his half-brother Galante, who won at seven of his 44 starts in WA before being sold to America in December 2020 where he has notched another seven wins from 45 appearances.