Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Bill Hayes has New Zealand-bred five-year-old Lucca at his peak and ready for a strong performance in the $50,000 Easter Cup, a stand over 2503m next Friday night.
Lucca, the $5 third favourite, warmed up for the Group 3 Cup in fine style with an excellent victory in the standing-start WA Foton Diesel At Catalano Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He began from the front line, and after Hector ($2.80) and Steel The Show ($2.35 favourite) galloped and lost ground at the start, Hayes made the most of those misdemeanours by dashing Lucca forward to take the lead from Navy Street ($34) after 400m, leaving Ardens Horizon ($6.50) in the breeze.
After a 29.2sec. third quarter of the final mile Lucca sprinted over the final 400m in 27.7sec. to win by almost a length from Ardens Horizon, with Navy Street a half-length farther back in third place.
Steel the Show, who began from the 10m mark, fought on from seventh at the bell to finish fourth, with Hector in fifth place.
“I thought that Lucca would win if he led,” said Hayes. “But I didn’t expect him to lead. I thought Hector would lead and that Lucca would be outside of him. However, things worked out better for us. “Lucca travelled well all the way, and he is not just a frontrunner. He is capable of coming from behind. A lot depends on how the race is run.
“Ever since we have had him, he has been no trouble, apart from once when he was favourite and had to be scratched when he suffered a minor cut to a stifle which needed only three stitches.”
Lucca has earned $115,941 from 11 wins and 11 placings from 30 starts.