Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Chal Patch gave further proof that he has strong claims for a start in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 10 when he unwound a powerful finishing burst to win the $30,000 Catalano Kersley Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was an equal $3.60 second fancy behind the $2.10 favourite Youre So Fine — and he ended that talented four-year-old’s brilliant winning sequence of seven when he got up to beat him by a metre, rating 1.57 over the 2130m, with the final three quarters being run ion 29.1sec., 28.7sec. and 28.5sec.
Chal Patch began from barrier five, and Kyle Symington did not bustle him, while $101 outsider Mr Fantastic was setting a brisk pace after flying out straight to the front from out wide at barrier seven.
Youre So Fine was caught in the breeze, and he looked the winner when Gary Hall Jnr took him to the front 250m from home. But he was unable to hold out the fast-finishing Chal Patch.
“Chal Patch is pretty adaptable,” said trainer Nathan Turvey. “He’s tough, has a good turn of foot and seems to have most of the attributes you need.
“I nearly won the Pacing Cup two years ago (when Miracle Moose finished a half-head second to Wildwest in February 2022) and Chal Patch is a much better horse. He is certainly right up to them, so that’s the aim, the Pacing Cup.
“I’m hoping he gets a start by performing well in the two $100,000 Free-For-Alls coming up (the Brennan Memorial on October 13 and the Stratton Cup on October 27).”
Hall said that when he went for Youre So Fine he was hoping to dash away and win. “I thought he could have got more separation, but when he got his head in front, he looked about a bit,” he explained.
“I know that Chal Patch is a good horse, having driven him twice (for very easy wins).”
Chal Patch, an Art Major gelding, has had eight starts in WA for four wins and three placings, taking his career record to 45 starts for ten wins, ten placings and $120,024.