Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Handy mare Mighthavtime caused a minor upset when she was the $5.50 third favourite in the $23,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Australia and NZ Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and beat the pacemaker and $20 chance Fleur Du Marquis by a half-length, with the $1.75 favourite Turn the Page a half-head away in third place.
Mighthavtime has been a consistent performer for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, with her 22 WA starts producing five wins and nine placings after racing 22 times in New Zealand for four wins and six placings. She now has earned $113,465.
Deni Roberts chose to handle Turn The Page for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond ahead of stablemate Mighthavtime, following Turn The Page’s splendid first-up victory at Gloucester Park a fortnight earlier.
Dylan Egerton-Green was then engaged to drive Mighthavtime, who began from the No. 4 barrier, with Turn The Page at barrier five.
Kyle Harper was hellbent on setting the pace from the No. 2 barrier with Fleur Du Marquis, who had to withstand a spirited early challenge from $16 chance Rocknroll Sass. Mighthavtime settled down in fourth place and she gained the one-out and one-back position when Roberts dashed Turn The Page forward to move to the breeze when Fleur Du Marquis dawdled through the opening 400m section in 32.3sec.
Egerton-Green switched Mighthavtime three wide approaching the home turn, and the mare finished strongly to gain the upper hand in the final stages, with the final quarter taking 28.7sec.
“She was keen in the run, and I was able to ease off on the corner and get the job done,” said Egerton-Green.
Mighthavtime will not contest the $35,000 Race For Roses, a 2503m standing-start event, next Friday night, but Turn The Page will be aimed for this event.
“Mighthavtime is too revvy and won’t step in stands which are not her go,” said Roberts. “The stand will suit Turn the Page, who was a little bit on the lazy side tonight, which probably got her beaten. She has her mood swings, so, hopefully, she will turn up next week.”