Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Promising young pacer In A Wink impressed with a spirited victory in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and will now have a let-up before being prepared for the $100,000 Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies on August 18.
In A Wink is prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who won the Diamond Classic in May 2021 with In A Wink’s full-sister In The Spotlight, who has earned $192,619 from ten wins and ten placings from 31 starts. She won at nine of her 20 WA starts and has had eleven starts in America for a win and five placings.
In A Wink, the $1.90 favourite on Friday night, was driven patiently by Deni Roberts, who was happy to keep the filly well back on the pegs in fourth position in the field of five.
Polemarker Manea ($5.50) and San Remo Beach ($3) began speedily from barrier two, with Manea defying a strong early challenge during a quick lead time of 36sec.
After Aiden de Campo slotted San Remo Beach in behind the frontrunning Manea, Chris Voak was able to restrain Manea, who slackened the pace with opening quarters of 32.4sec. and 31.3sec.
Roberts eased In A Wink off the pegs 750m from home, and the filly gradually made up ground before switching three wide approaching the home turn and hitting the front with 110m to travel. In A Wink won comfortably by a length from $8.50 chance Maddy Lou, who followed the winner all the way.
“I wasn’t worried about the quick lead time because I wasn’t involved in it,” said Roberts. “In A Wink is still very much green and has no idea what she is doing. I had to keep her mind on the job and tap her up all the way. When she actually works it all out, she has a really good turn of foot.
“I drove In The Spotlight once (when a seven-length winner at Kellerberrin in May 2022). Both pacers are very different. In The Spotlight is big, strong and tough whereas In A Wink is small and fast.”
In The Spotlight and In A Wink are out of the Mach Three mare Goodlookingbabe, who raced 14 times for three wins and stakes of $20,475. Goodlookingbabe’s first foal Allamericanlover has raced 24 times for eleven wins, eight placings and $189,243, with her victories including the Group 1 Queen Of Hearts as a four-year-old at Alexandra Park in December last year.
Goodlookingbabe’s half-sister Elle Mac amassed $607,678 from twelve wins and ten placings from 32 starts.