Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Six-year-old gelding Galaxy Warrior broke through for his first metro-class win when he caused a minor upset by finishing fast to beat Sound Wave and Post Game in the $21,000 Westside Auto Wholesale Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The win gave Simon Lowings, a 59-year-old baker by trade and hobby trainer, his first metropolitan-class winner since he drove Mister de Vere to victory at Gloucester Park on November 2, 1995, after the gelding had won a city event the previous month. Lowings also prepared and drove city winners Desert Patrol and Captain Howdy in the 1990s.
Galaxy Warrior, owned by Lowings and his wife Quyen, is now the most successful pacer trained by Lowings, who has given the gelding 22 starts for seven wins, eight placings and $56,418 in prizemoney.
Galaxy Warrior is by Follow The Stars and is the first foal out of the unraced mare Sparkling Desire. Galaxy Warrior was purchased for just $5500 at the 2019 Perth APG yearling sale.
Sound Wave, the $4.20 third favourite in Friday night’s 2130m event, was also sold at the 2019 sale, for $32,500, and he now has earned $90,013 from eight wins and 19 placings from 57 starts.
Sound Wave, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, was smartest to begin from the No. 1 barrier and he set a solid pace, with final three 400m sections being run in 29.5sec., 27.8sec. and 28.7sec. He led by two lengths with 100 metres to travel, and was overhauled on the line by Galaxy Warrior, a $19.80 chance who raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, before charging home, out wide.
Galaxy Warrior gave outstanding young reinsman Kyle Symington the second leg of a driving double, following Showpony’s win in the opening event.
Ira Poole, the $3 favourite, disappointed, finishing last in the field of eight after racing in sixth position in the one-wide line. He began a three-wide move 400m from home, allowing Galaxy Warrior to get off the pegs. But he was affected by hanging and did not threaten danger.