Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“He has all the attributes of a good horse,” was the succinct and understated conclusion stated by Deni Roberts after driving Justcallmemiki to a very easy win in the $31,000 Westside Auto Fixed Price Servicing Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 1 barrier, and he was not extended in setting the pace and winning by two lengths from the fast-finishing $21 chance Spyglass. This followed his easy win at his Australian debut a fortnight earlier when he led and defeated Waverider.
“He felt a lot better,” said Roberts. “He was a lot more switched on, and he feels like he has got toughness about him as well as his good gate speed. And he also has a good turn of foot.”
Justcallmemiki, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, is showing all the signs of developing into a leading candidate for the rich Golden Nugget later in the year.
He had the luxury of ambling through the lead time in 38.3sec. before a comfortable opening quarter of 30.1sec. He then increased the tempo with 400m sections of 29.2sec., 28.5sec. and 27.6sec.
Justcallmemiki was joined in the lead with 1200m to travel by his ten-year-old stablemate Mighty Conqueror, who was making his first appearance for seven months. Mighty Conqueror, a winner of 22 races and $697,791, began from the outside of the back line and settled at the rear before Stuart McDonald sent him forward in the middle stages. He fought on gamely to finish in third place.
Four-year-old Justcallmemiki, who was competing against older and more experienced rivals, has earned $83,316 from six wins and two placings from 14 starts.