Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred pacer Mandown made a successful debut in a standing-start event when he began smoothly from barrier five on the front line and relished his role of pacemaker when he won the 2503m Retravision Every Day’s A Sale Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The four-year-old was the $1.40 favourite, and he gave his supporters no cause for concern when he dashed straight to the front and set a modest early pace with opening quarters of the final mile in 31.8sec. and 30.5sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 28.3sec.
He won by more than a length from $21 chance Duty Bound, who trailed him all the way.
“Mandown probably travels better outside (in the breeze) like he did when he showed a good turn of foot and won at Bunbury three starts ago,” said trainer-reinsman Gary Hall Jnr.
“He gets off with the fairies out in front and waits until you tell him what to do. I’m mindful of not going too slow with him. I probably did that early tonight. When you wake him up there is always something there. He seems to get better every time he starts.”
Mandown is by former star pacer Vincent and he is the fifth foal out of the unraced Christian Cullen mare Close Escape. He has had six starts in WA for five wins and one second placing, taking his record to 22 starts for seven wins, seven placings and stakes of $64,259.