Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star reinsman Kyle Harper gave himself an early birthday present at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he drove the heavily-supported $1.80 favourite Blaze Coops to a decisive victory in the $19,000 BOTRA Thanking Our Committee Pace.
Harper, who celebrated his 34TH birthday on Sunday, used all his skills to have Blaze Coops, a mare who has been badly affected by a tendency to overrace, on her best behaviour.
Blaze Coops, a Victorian-bred six-year-old mare, responded kindly to Harper’s gentle approach and she relished her frontrunning role to end a 13-month drought and losing sequence of 18 as she coasted home just under three lengths clear of the $2.90 second fancy Let It Linga, who was beaten for early speed from the No. 1 barrier and then trailed the pacemaking Blaze Coops.
Harper was extremely anxious not to fire up Blaze Coops, who was restrained about 25 metres behind her eight rivals in the mobile score-up.
Blaze Coops got away on terms with her opposition and Harper was able to dash her to the front after about 50m.
“She had one of the slowest lead times (37.7sec.) that she had ever run, and then after an opening quarter of 30.6sec. I was quite happy, and with a lap to go I was full of confidence,” said Harper.
“I expected her to be challenged up the home straight. But that didn’t happen, and she just ran away (from the rest of the field). She quickens quite well, and I wasn’t worried when she was 20 metres off the others in the score-up.
“You don’t want to have her too hard on the gate, and I just wanted to err on the side of caution. She is electric off the arm as long as you don’t hit it (get there) too early.”
Blaze Coops is trained by 58-year-old Shane Tognolini, who races the mare in partnership with Reg Musgrave. She has earned $92,509 from 11 wins and 13 placings from 68 starts. After winning twice in Victoria, three times in New South Wales and twice in Queensland Blaze Coops has had 31 starts in WA for four wins and six placings.
Her elder half-brother Change Of Mind is still racing and his 275 starts in New South Wales and Queensland between 2014 and 2024 have produced 37 wins, 39 placings and stakes of $287,021.