Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Seven-year-old High Price ended a 15-month drought and ended a losing sequence of 21 when he unwound a flying finish to come from ninth position 250m from home to score a comfortable win in the 2130m Christmas In July Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
High Price, trained at Northam by Garry Sayers and driven by Aiden De Campo, appreciated a drop in class and was excellent value at $15.90.
After High Price was restrained at the start and racing at the rear De Campo explained how he changed his tactics, saying: “I was planning to go forward and to find a hole.
“But during the warm-up I thought that there would be a good bit of speed on, so I ended up restraining the horse. They ran hard the whole way, and that suited him.”
Beyond The Sea, the $1.65 favourite, dashed to the front after 100m and withstood a challenge in the first circuit from Hunger Strike ($5.50) before there was little respite for the leaders with $18 chance Paroquet working hard, out three wide outside Beyond The Sea and Hunger Strike.
Chaco Eagle ($8) raced in eighth place before trailing the three-wide run of Paroquet approaching the bell and getting to the front 270m from home. But he was unable to hold out the fast-finishing High Price.
High Price, a gelding by former star pacer Alta Christiano, has been a handy performer who has raced 87 times for 12 wins and 25 placings for earnings of $197,679.
He is raced by Mike and Lyn Pike, who enjoyed further success when their three-year-old filly Lianaka, trained by Sayers and driven by Shannon Suvaljko, won a 2190m event at Northam’s Burwood Park on Saturday night.
Lianaka, a $52,500 yearling by Art Major, set the pace and held on to beat Torrevean Envy Me by a half-head.