Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Quality pacer Jett Star relished a change of role at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave a rare frontrunning exhibition to score a comfortable win in the 1730m Support Variety Club WA Pace.
The New Zealand-bred six-year-old had worked hard in the breeze at his four previous starts for a win, two seconds and a fifth placing. He drew the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night and was a hot $1.50 favourite.
The previous time Jett Star had led all the way in a race was 17 starts earlier when he began from the No. 1 barrier and held on to beat Faster Than Dad by a head at Gloucester Park on April 28, 2023.
Jett Star is generally quite a lazy horse in his races, and Deni Roberts had to urge him forward to withstand a brief early challenge from $8 chance Arma Xfactor, who began speedily from barrier five.
But after that Jett Star was able to meander through the opening 400m sections in 31sec. and 30.3sec. before increasing the tempo with final quarters of 28.8sec. and 27.4sec. on his way to winning by just over a half-length from the $3.20 second favourite Magnus Victor, who finished fast after racing behind the leader all the way. However, Roberts had to drive Jett Star hard in the closing stages to keep his mind on the job.
The win completed a double for Roberts and leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond after they had been successful earlier in the night with Prince Of Pain.
Jett Star, who looks set to maintain his winning ways in the winter months, has earned $261,123 from 21 wins and ten placings from 48 starts.