Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
The 13 part-owners of Never Ending cheered themselves hoarse at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Gary Hall Jnr drove the glamour gelding to a superb all-the-way victory in the $215,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Never Ending, produced in wonderful shape by Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice, smashed the race record when he rated 1.55.6 for the 2130m journey, and he will attempt to extend his unbeaten record to six when he contests the $150,000 Golden Slipper next Friday week.
Selected and purchased for $75,000 by the astute Prentice at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale, Never Ending has already netted $187,485 in prizemoney from his five brilliant victories.
Never Ending, the $1.10 favourite, was not fully extended in setting a solid pace after winning the start from the No. 1 barrier. He dashed over the final 800m in 56.2sec. and beat $12 chance Rocket City by two lengths, with his 1.55.6 rate lowering the race record of 1.56 set by To Fast To Serious in 2018.
Not only did Never Ending set a record, but the 34-year-old Prentice set a record of three training successes in the 30-year history of the Westbred Classic, originally known as the State Sires Series Classic. He trained and drove Highroller Joe for his win in 2017 and was successful two years later with Major Martini.
Friday night’s win was the 24TH in a Group 1 event for Prentice, and it was Hall’s 60TH win in a Group 1 feature.
It was not all roses for Prentice on Friday night. He admitted after the race that he was really nervous, saying: “When a horse draws one and is a hot favourite, everyone expects him to win, and that puts a lot of extra pressure on you. And with a two-year-old you never quite know what they’re going to do.”
Prentice also suffered some moments of apprehension when a tyre of Never Ending’s sulky was punctured during the preliminary, and the youngster became upset and a little fractious when he had to leave the track for a new sulky to be fitted.
“Never Ending also raced a bit keenly tonight,” Prentice said. “He hadn’t raced for three weeks.
“His best run, along with tonight’s win, was at his debut when he came from last to win at Pinjarra.”
Valedictorian, Prentice’s other runner in Friday night’s classic, was a $13 chance from the outside (barrier three) on the back line. He raced at the rear and fought on gamely from tenth at the bell to finish seventh.
One of the most impressive runs in the race was that of the Jocelyn Young part-owned, trained and driven Skylord, a $26 chance from out wide at barrier seven. He raced three wide for much of the first lap and then worked hard in the breeze to finish third, only a head behind Rocket City, who had enjoyed a perfect trip behind the frontrunning Never Ending.