Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Heavy rain was tumbling down at 10.20 pm on Friday and there was not a spectator in sight when the eleven runners were sent on their way in the $21,000 Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park.
But it proved a significant moment in harness racing for veteran Waroona trainer Ray Woodley, who was all smiles after $7.30 chance Arum had charged home from last at the bell to score an easy victory.
Arum, a ten-year-old gelding having only his 20TH start in a race, gave Woodley his first success in a metropolitan-class event.
“That’s my first city-class win after 40 years in the game,” said 66-year-old Woodley. “I’ve had horses who have run places in metro races over the years.”
Woodley, who has won country-class races at Gloucester Park with Screamin Wolf, Birubi Babe and Full Swing, said it was quite remarkable that Arum was racing, let alone winning in the city.
Arum made his racing debut as a nine-year-old when he finished eighth in a race at Pinjarra in May last year before he won at his next appearance, beating Grin Destiny over 2130m in a country-stakes race at Gloucester Park on July 8.
“He was a forgotten horse, and it is a long story, relating how he just got lost in the system,” said Woodley. “I prepared him for racing as a four-year-old, but he couldn’t pace. He just wanted to trot all the time and was virtually abandoned.
“Then, a couple of years ago his owner Leigh Milewicz got cancer, and after treatment she told me that she would love to see her horse race. I said ‘okay, fair enough, I’ll do my best and see what we come up with.’
“He had seven or eight preparations, and finally he began to pace and started sailing along. He is sound and has now won four times from 20 starts (earning $36,400) and he should win more races.
“He still gets a bit stressed, and even though he is ten, he has the brain of a two-year-old. But he is getting better. Tonight, was his first run in the rain and on a wet track, and he handled that all right.”
Arum began from the No. 6 barrier and Toby Lynn gave him ample time to settle down at the rear while $18 chance Jamie Kim was setting the pace after resisting an early challenge from $5.50 chance Sugar Street.
Getn Wiggy Withit ($7) dashed forward from the rear and led by a half-length with 1100m to travel but was unable to cross to the front. Finally, he took the lead with about 220m to go before wilting to finish fourth. Arum sustained a powerful burst and went four wide approaching the home turn before dashing away to win by two lengths from the $4.60 favourite Lord Publisher.
“Arum worked well during the week, and I told Toby he would win,” said Woodley. “He had put the writing on the wall with his two previous runs earlier in the month when he was a $201 outsider who came from last to finish second to State My Case and then was a $126 chance when fourth behind Ta In Advance.”
Arum is by American sire Cams Fool and is the fifth and last foal out of Art Major mare Zoe Rose, a failure on the racetrack with one third placing (at Bunbury) from seven starts on South-West tracks.
“The reason why he was named Arum is because after the night he was born at my place in Waroona I couldn’t find him,” said Woodley. “I was looking everywhere and was beginning to panic before I discovered him at 4am lying in a patch of Arum lilies, with the mare 20 metres away.”