Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Emily Suvaljko revealed an ice-cool temperament and immense patience when she created history by becoming the first female to drive the winner of a Fremantle Cup when she guided $31.20 outsider Mighty Ronaldo to a thrilling victory in the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The brilliant 22-year-old Suvaljko had to abandon well-thought-out tactics when the polemarker and $2.65 favourite Lavra Joe galloped for a few strides at the start — and she was concerned when Mighty Ronaldo was left in the breeze for the first 550m after Maddison Brown had dashed Diego ($7.50) to the front.
But when Ryan Warwick set $13 chance Minstrel alight and charged forward to move alongside Diego half way down the back straight in the first lap Mighty Ronaldo then enjoyed a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position.
“We were planning that Lavra Joe was going to lead and that I was going to try to get four (back) on the fence,” said Suvaljko. “But when Lavra Joe galloped, it all changed. Plan A was to be on the fence, but I had no real opportunity to get there.
“I was a bit concerned that I was doing a bit too much work earlier than I wanted to. I was wondering where Magnificent Storm ($5) was, but when Ryan (Warwick) came around with Minstrel I knew I was in a good spot.
“Mighty Ronaldo has a really short, sharp sprint, and it is usually better if a horse comes on his outside. But because he didn’t have anything coming on his outside I just waited as long as I could. I knew that nothing was going to cover me and that I was always going to be able to come out (three wide) whenever I wanted to.”
So, Suvaljko waited until just before the home turn to switch Mighty Ronaldo three wide. Minstrel got his nose in front of Diego without about 50m to travel before he was overtaken by the fast-finishing Mighty Ronaldo in the final couple of strides.
The final 400m sections were run in 27.5sec. and 28.1sec. and Mighty Ronaldo rated 1.56.9 over the 2536m. Diego was a half-length away in third place, with Himself ($17) running on from sixth at the bell to be fourth. Lavra Joe, who trailed the pacemaking Diego throughout, finished fifth. Magnificent Storm met with a check in the first lap and raced at the rear before finishing eighth.
Mighty Ronaldo’s victory was a triumph for his 34-year-old trainer Justin Prentice, who has prepared the five-year-old gelding throughout his 35-start career of ten wins, 13 placings and stakes of $564,396.
This was Prentice’s 27TH Group 1 victory, complementing his record of 19 Group 2 wins and another 19 Group 3 victories. For Suvaljko, it was her second Group 1 success, following her win with Savvy Bromac in the 2021 Mare Classic.
“It’s always a lot better when you’re not expecting to win,” said Prentice. “Going into the race the plan was to be on the fence, and if we got luck Mighty Ronaldo could finish in the first five or six, and that would guarantee a start in the Pacing Cup.
“It was a perfect drive from Emily, so patient. A lot of people (drivers) would have panicked down the back, thinking they would get covered. But she didn’t and she timed things to perfection.”
Mighty Ronaldo, raced by a big syndicate headed by Glen Mortimer, was purchased for $22,000 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale and he has earned $564,396 from ten wins and 13 placings from 35 starts.
He is by former outstanding pacer and 2013 WA Derby winner Alta Christiano and is the fourth foal out of New Zealand-bred mare Millwoods Delight, a winner at six of her 47 starts, with 44 of those starts in WA for five wins and nine placings.
Mighty Ronaldo’s wins have included the Golden Slipper and the Sales Classic as a two-year-old, the WA Derby as a three-year-old and the Bunbury Cup as a four-year-old.
“He has taken us on a great ride,” said Prentice. And there should be many more highlights along the journey.