Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
A change of gear played an important role in Wait For The Bell’s win in the $20,250 TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi was concerned when the WA-bred five-year-old hung out badly on the final corner before finishing fourth behind Arma Einstein.
“So, I changed his bit, and he worked well and raced straight in a hoppled run on Tuesday morning,” said Cortopassi.
“I wasn’t expecting to lead tonight (from barrier three) but when Lamandier galloped from barrier two it gave me the opportunity to dart across and lead. I was expecting to land just handy. He is always a bit sharper when he draws a bit wider than when he draws the pole.
“So, everything worked out in our favour, and we were able to bowl along in front and then hold off the swoopers.”
The quarters were covered in 28.6sec., 29.5sec., 28.2sec. and 29.3sec. and Wait For The Bell rated 1.55 over the 1730m journey.
Wait For The Bell was bred by John Bell and is raced on lease by Amber Sparks. This was his first metropolitan-class win, and it improved his record to 48 starts for nine wins, 16 placings and $82,358 in stakes.
He is by American stallion Hurrikane and is out of Jossies Belle (51 starts for three wins, eight placings and $18,553). Wait For The Bell is a half-brother to Tyler Brett, whose 88 starts produced 18 wins, 26 placings and $201,830, with his most notable victory being in the Group 3 Higgins Memorial in July 2018.