Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Outstanding young driver Deni Roberts achieved a long-held ambition to drive a hundred winners in a season when she gave a typical skilful exhibition in the sulky to score a smart victory with Mighthavtime in the 2130m TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mighthavtime, a $6.50 chance trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was patiently driven by the 27-year-old Roberts, who had the New Zealand-bred six-year-old in eighth position in the one-wide line at the bell before she sent her forward at the 700m with a three-wide burst which took her to the front on the home turn and on to a 2m win over the pacemaker and $26 chance Vintage Blu.
“This is pretty cool,” she said. “It’s been a goal of mine for the past few years, so I’m rapt to get the hundred winners in a season.”
The win also brought up another notable milestone for Roberts; it was her 450TH winner, achieved in her ninth season as a driver.
“I was happy with the way Mighthavtime got around,” said Roberts. “She hung down badly, hit a knee and broke at her previous start (when fifth behind Illawong Mustang at Gloucester Park three weeks earlier).
“We made quite a few gear adjustments and she paced really well.” Among the gear changes were the use of a one-legged off-side spreader, a Hidez hood and a nearside lugging pole, as well as removing the deafeners.
Mighthavtime, a four-year-old mare by American sire Betterthancheddar, is the fourth foal out of Christian Cullen mare One Christian, who managed one win from seven New Zealand starts. Mighthavtime has now won once from three starts in WA and has a record of 25 starts for five wins, seven placings and stakes of $45,000.