Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-born Michael Blakemore was all smiles at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he notched his first metropolitan-class training success, with veteran pacer Walsh leading and holding on to win the $18,5000 $1 Million Nullarbor Slot Race on April 14 Pace.
And he will be seen in a vastly different role at Gloucester Park next Friday night when he will be on show, driving the tractor to smooth the track for all ten events in his new role as the course curator.
“I’m starting on Monday as head curator, and I’ll have to get someone to bring Walsh to the course in future,” said the 28-year-old Blakemore, who drove between 15 and 20 winners in New Zealand and has driven about 20 winners in Western Australia.
“I have been working as curator at Pinjarra for the past 18 months, and I was assistant curator for 12 months at Gloucester Park before that. I finished at Pinjarra two weeks ago and then I had my first holiday for about four years — when I was busy with my team of five pacers.”
On Friday night seven-year-old Walsh was having his sixth start for Blakemore, and from the prized No. 1 barrier and after eye-catching fast-finishing efforts at his three previous outings for a second, third and fifth, he was the $1.90 favourite.
There was a late driving change, with Gary Hall Jnr taking the reins after Kyle Harper was suffering from delayed concussion after being involved in a race accident the previous Friday night.
Walsh’s victory ended a 14-month drought, with his previous success being as a $1.20 favourite when he led and defeated Bettor Be Lively at Gloucester Park on November 12, 2021.
“I was pretty confident that Walsh would be able to lead,” said Blakemore. Hall got Walsh away well and the gelding coasted through the lead time in 8.4sec. and the opening 800m in 60.8sec. before he covered the final 800m in 56.8sec. and beat the $4.40 chance Onesmartfella by 1m after that pacer had trailed him throughout.
Walsh, who was purchased for $34,000 at the 2017 APG Perth yearling sale, has earned $165,119 from 15 wins and 26 placings from 104 starts for Kyle Jeavons, six of his friends and his father Kevin. He is by Art Major and is the first foal out of the Victorian-bred mare Dontgetmeruffled, who had 97 starts for 13 wins, 24 placings and $71,685. Walsh is a half-sister to talented mare Nevermindthechaos, who was successful earlier in Friday night’s meeting.