Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
One win from his past 83 starts was not the ideal form line for veteran pacer Deeorse going into the final event, the $18,500 Catalano Truck And Equipment Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New South Wales-bred seven-year-old had been unplaced at his ten previous outings and had a losing sequence of 34. But all those facts and figures failed to dent the optimism of part-owner and Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg.
“Deeorse hasn’t had many good barriers and he needs everything to go right in his races,” said Padberg. “Last week when he ran sixth behind very good pacers El Chema and Street Hawk he was held up and he rated 1.55. And that was his first run for a month, during which he had a little break because he had a virus.
“He worked well during the week and I thought that if they left him alone (in front) for one quarter, he could run three good quarters. And that’s what happened.”
Deeorse, driven for only the second time by Aiden De Campo, was the $3.70 favourite from the No. 1 barrier, and he had an easy time with a modest 8.1 led time and slow opening quarters of 30.2sec. and 31.4sec. before he dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.9sec. and 28.3sec. to win by a length from $6.50 chance Rock Me Over, who trailed the leader throughout.
Deeorse is by American Ideal and is the ninth and last foal out of the Holmes Hanover mare Elite Legacy, who raced ten times for three wins, one placing and stakes of $10,813. Deeorse now has had 125 starts for eight wins, 35 placings and $120,794.
He raced 28 times in New South Wales for four wins and ten placings and his 97 WA starts have produced four wins and 25 placings. His half-brother Clarry earned $161,449 from 20 wins and 45 placings from 155 starts.