Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Evergreen veteran pacer Longreach Bay has struck a purple patch, with his recent excellent form coinciding with the retirement from the workforce of his 60-year-old trainer Peter King.
This year since his retirement as an area planner at Alcoa King has given eight-year-old Longreach Bay eleven starts for six wins, one second and $46,409 in prizemoney, taking his career record to 79 starts for 18 wins, eight placings and $190,131.
After Longreach Bay, a $17.50 chance, was driven by Joey Suvaljko to a splendid all-the-way victory in the TABtouch Place A Same Race Multi Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night King said the gelding was enjoying a more consistent hands-on preparation and was racing with youthful enthusiasm.
“I was thinking of giving him a break after tonight,” King said. “But he went so well that I’m likely to keep going with him, and I’m looking to run him in the Narrogin Cup (a $34,300 event over 2662m on May 17).
“Now that I’m retired, I’m able to ride him twice a week in the bush, and he is a happy horse who loves his work. A few changes I’ve made are working with him. And he appreciates having me around more.”
Longreach Bay’s greatest asset is his dazzling gate speed, and Suvaljko made the most of this attribute, despite some anxious moments when the gelding, from out wide at barrier eight, nudged the arm of the mobile barrier.
“I told Joey that Longreach Bay would cross to the front, and even though he hit the mobile he still crossed. Joey said that he then had to pull the plugs, and once he pulled them, he just pinged.
“Dark Eyes, from barrier five, was holding Longreach Bay, and he was losing a bit of momentum, and that’s why Joey pulled the plugs.”
Longreach Bay was bred and is owned by King, his partner Barbara Pellick and King’s son Michael. He is by Renaissance Man and is the sixth foal out of the Armbro Operative mare Back In The Black, who raced 43 times for seven wins, 18 placings and $58,780.
“I bought Back in the Black when she was in foal to Advance Attack,” said King. The resultant foal was named Cott Beach, who possessed brilliant gate speed and had an outstanding career of 41 starts for 15 wins, 14 placings and $275,902.
Cott Beach shone as a two-year-old when she won the Group 1 Westbred Classic for fillies in June 2017, the Group 2 Champagne Stakes and the Group 3 Westsired Pace, as well a finishing second to Jack Mac in the Golden Slipper.
As a three-year-old Cott Beach finished third behind King Of Swing in the WA Derby and third behind Our Major Mama in the WA Oaks.
Longreach Bay has inherited much of the brilliance from Cott Beach, and he won the Group 3 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings in June 2020.