Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Emerging WA-bred four-year-old Hotly Pursued notched his seventh win from his past eleven starts when Kyler Harper drove him to a convincing victory in the $23,000 Australian Pacing Gold Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His win over Chaco Eagle and Heez Good As Gold was a perfect warm-up for the $50,000 Chandon Classic next Friday night. It completed a double for Harper and Banjup trainer Murray Lindau.
Hotly Pursued, the $1.60 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of nine, worked his way to the front after 400m and was not extended in winning after dashing over the final 800m in 56.8sec. and rating 1.56 over the 2130m.
“He is a class act and Murray had him spot on,” said Harper. “At the end he was quite comfortable with the plugs in and running away from his rivals.
“He came out with controlled aggression. He probably could have crossed straight to the front if I had unleashed him. But if you roll the dice and put all your eggs in one basket, and if things don’t work out, you leave your horse susceptible.”
Hotly Pursued, a gelding by American sire Huntsville, was bred and is owned by Lindau and Claire McNaughton. He has earned $135,290 from ten wins and eleven placings from 31 starts.