Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Redoubtable New Zealand-bred mare Montana Glory will be set for the $50,000 Laurie Kennedy Pace over 1730m next Friday night after her impressive victory in the $23,000 Trotsynd Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She is right up there with the best mares in the State,” declared Shannon Suvaljko after guiding $13.60 chance Montana Glory to a 4m win over Regal Cheval ($12), with Blaze Coops ($2.15 favourite) and Navy Street ($31) a half-head farther back, dead-heating for third place.
Trainer Mike Reed said that Montana Glory would be suited by the sprint trip of next Friday night’s event for mares, and he is hoping for a favourable barrier in the random draw.
One of Montana Glory’s rivals in the sprint will be her brilliant stablemate Water Lou, who will be driven by Suvaljko in her comeback to racing after a spell.
Montana Glory was not bustled out from out wide at barrier seven, with Chaco Eagle ($9.50) dashing to the front after 220m after starting from the No. 6 barrier and proving too speedy for the noted fast beginner Blaze Coops at barrier one.
Montana Glory settled down in tenth position before Suvaljko set her alight after 550m and getting her to the breeze 350m later. The lead time was a fast 36.4sec., and when Chaco Eagle slackened the pace Suvaljko took the opportunity to get Montana Glory into the firing line. Montana Glory dashed to the front 380m from home, and she won comfortably, rating 1.57.5.
“After they had gone hard early, I was able to go around to the breeze cheaply,” said Suvaljko. “It was a good move to have her run in a trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday (when the mare set the pace in the ten-horse field and won by seven lengths) because she always races better with runs close together.”
Montana Glory, a mare by Always B Miki, won once from seven New Zealand starts and has had 28 WA starts for eight wins and eight placings for a career record of 35 starts for nine wins, 12 placings and $145,073.
Blaze Coops trailed the frontrunning Chaco Eagle and was blocked for a clear run until the final stages when she ran on strongly. Chaco Eagle wilted to finish eleventh.