Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr labelled New Zealand-bred gelding as the most improved pacer in the State after driving the six-year-old to an easy all-the-way victory in the 2130m Steelos Open Every Race Meeting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was Plutonium’s fifth win from six starts since resuming racing after an injury-enforced 13-month absence, following a bowed tendon in mid-July last year.
“He got away with an easy first half (61.3sec.) but got home in 55.4sec., and did it on his ear,” said Hall. “I didn’t pull the plugs.”
Plutonium, trained by Michael Young, was the $1.20 favourite and he was not extended in beating last-start winners The Ideal Touch and Always Fast, rating 1.57.6 and taking his record to 38 starts for 13 wins, eight placings and $139,159 in prizemoney.
Plutonium’s victory completed a treble for Hall, who was successful earlier in the night with Tricky Miki and Im The Black Flash.
“I started the night with seconds in the first three events (with Zazu, Doc Holliday and Euphoria), and luckily I rectified things later when I got my eye in just like a bowler who goes for six and couple of boundaries before taking a hat-trick,” he said.