Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Promising four-year-old Machnificent made a triumphant return to racing — after recovering from a greasy heel infection — when he finished with a powerful burst to score an impressive victory in the $23,750 $1 Million Nullarbor Slot Race In April Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Part-owner and Byford trainer Katja Warwick was extremely happy that Machnificent was able to perform so strongly at his first appearance for six weeks, and she declared: “He’s aiming towards the summer and the feature events for four-year-olds.”
Machnificent was affected by his greasy heel after he had finished an excellent first-up fourth behind Plutonium on September 2 — his first appearance since he ran home strongly to win the Group 2 Nights Of Thunder at a 1.52.4 rate last January.
He had to be treated to bring down the swelling, and he showed no signs of the problem when Shannon Suvaljko drove him on Friday night when he was an $8.60 chance from the No. 5 barrier in the 2130m event.
Suvaljko did not bustle Machnificent early and he was content to race in fifth position, three back on the pegs while the polemarker Dominus Factum ($7.50) set a brisk pace, with Ideal Agent ($6.50) in the breeze.
The $2.60 favourite Ezana began fast from barrier three and raced three wide into third place after 200m before Aldo Cortopassi had little option 250m later but to restrain the gelding back to last.
Ryan Warwick sent Ideal Agent to the front 550m from home, and 50m later Suvaljko eased Machnificent off the inside before taking the stallion out three wide approaching the home turn. Machnificent then took the lead with 90m to travel and went on to win by just under a length from Ideal Agent, with Boom Time ($9.50) a fast-finishing third.
Machnificent rated 1.55.8 and he took his record to 40 starts for 12 wins, 12 placings and stakes of $152,880. He is by Mach Three and is the sixth foal out of the Northern Luck mare Honorable Daughter, whose career was limited to six runs as a three-year-old in 2010 for six unplaced efforts.
However, Honorable Daughter’s granddam Chaangerr produced ten winners, including Changeover (66 starts for 29 wins, 16 placings and $2,321,676), Change Stride (199 starts for 38 wins, 57 placings and $593,743) and Change Gear (138 starts for 22 wins, 29 placings and $190,884). Change Stride raced 41 times in WA between 2015 and 2017 for 15 wins before continuing his career in America.