Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko was fulsome in his praise of Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg after driving her six-year-old pacer Lil Happy Fella to win an action-packed 2130m Cowden The Insurance Brokers Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Suvaljko, who has driven hundreds of winners for Padberg, said that he was always confident of a strong showing when driving one of her pacers.
“She has done a great job over the years,” he said. “All her horses look a million dollars; they look fit, and they race how they look.”
Lil Happy Fella’s win continued a purple patch for Padberg, giving her a fourth success in the past four Friday night meetings at Gloucester Park.
On May 17 Lil Happy Fella was successful as a $11.70 chance, and he was great value again at $14.80 when he won on Friday night. In between those two wins Padberg landed a double on May 24, scoring with State Of Heaven ($5.70) and Name In Lights ($5.20).
Lil Happy Fella, who was a $21 chance on the fixed market on Friday night, was not bustled early by Suvaljko when he began from the outside barrier (No. 8) on the front line, with Youre So Fine dominating the betting as a $1.14 favourite from the No. 3 barrier.
Youre So Fine began well but was beaten out by the $17 chance Navy Street, who began speedily from barrier two and burst past the polemarker Machlani to surge to the front after 100m.
Gary Hall Jnr then dashed Youre So Fine forward in a bid for the lead, but he was thwarted by Ryan Warwick, who was determined to remain in front with Navy Street.
Youre So Fine and Navy Street were locked together in battle in a fast lead time of 35.6sec. before the opening 400m section of the final mile was covered in a blistering 27.4sec., followed by a solid second quarter of 29.7sec. before Youre So Fine eventually gained the upper hand with a lap to travel.
When Youre So Fine was in front at the bell Lil Happy Fella was a distant tenth before Suvaljko urged him forward 100m later. October Reign ($26) was third without cover at the bell before he worked forward to get to the front 500m from home.
Lil Happy Fella sustained a solid burst from the rear to eventually take a narrow lead 50m from the post before winning by a half neck from $31 chance Cloud Nine, who fought on from eighth at the bell. Youre So Fine wilted to finish tenth, with Navy Street fading to eleventh. The winner rated 1.55.6.
Regarding his thoughts when Lil Happy Fella was at the rear during the early and mid-race fireworks, Suvaljko said: “I always go on how fast they’re going, and when I saw the lead time and the first quarter, I knew I was in with a big chance.
“I looked around the field to see which horses were on the bit and which ones were off the bit. The only ones on the bit were Rocknroll Elliot, who was behind me, and Alta Rhett. So, I had to stay in front of Alta Rhett and keep Rocknroll Elliot out of it. And everything worked out well.”
For Lil Happy Fella, his win was his first in a metro-class event, and it boosted his record to 56 starts for eleven wins, 15 placings and stakes of $100,485.
Padberg kept the pot boiling at Northam on Saturday night when Suvaljko drove her pacer You Fly With Me ($3.20) to victory in a 1780m event, with the winner finishing strongly on the inside to beat the pacemaker and $1.85 favourite Bronzed.