Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
No pacer deserves to be recognised as a standing-start specialist ahead of the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Carana, who maintained his splendid form with a comfortable victory in the Go First Class With Ramsay’s Horse Transport Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Carana, prepared by Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has raced 26 times for eleven wins, six seconds and two thirds. All those starts, with the exception of one in New Zealand and one in Western Australia, have been in stands.
His mobile appearances have resulted in a third at Addington and a tenth placing in the Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park last December.
Carana won twice in stands from nine New Zealand starts, and his WA record is 17 starts (16 in stands) for nine wins and four placings.
He was the $1.70 favourite from the 10m mark on Friday night when he began safely and Deni Roberts quickly had him poised to strike from the one-out, one-back position while the $7 second fancy Jill Mach was setting the pace and being put under pressure by Frankie J Holden.
Roberts waited until 300m from home to switch Carana three wide, and the gelding sprinted strongly to dash to the front 100m from the post to win by just under a length from Jill Mach.
“Stands do suit Carana,” said Roberts. “They mean that he doesn’t have to do too much work early, whereas in mobiles he gets a bit revvy. Obviously, he will soon get to, too a high a grade in stands and will have to return to mobile racing.
“He hasn’t had that many starts and has now turned into a good racehorse. Sat up, he’s very fast, and being so close up tonight entitled him to sit there until late.”
Carana completed a treble in the sulky for Roberts, who had been successful earlier in the night with Lusaka and Aardiebytheseaside.