Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
It’s all systems go for the lightly-raced Papinik to contest the rich Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in January after the WA-bred six-year-old simply toyed with the opposition and scored a wonderful victory in the 2130m Harley Smug Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Papinik, trained by Ross Olivieri and driven by Chris Voak, looked a picture at his first outing for 16 weeks when he started favourite at $1.20 and was untroubled to lead all the way and cross the finishing line with his ear plugs still in. He sprinted over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.4sec. and rated 1.57.6 in beating Beat City ($4.60) three lengths.
This was the fifth time that Papinik had scored a first-up victory in a career of 25 starts for 14 wins, seven placings and $145,511 in prizemoney.
“Papinik is a very athletic horse, and a lot of credit for this first-up win goes to my wife Jemma,” said Olivieri. “She actually trains him and knows him inside out.
Papinik was making his first appearance since finishing fourth behind Diego in a 1730m on July 29. That was his first run for just over four months.
“We then had a look at the Christmas races and decided we couldn’t keep him up all the way through to the big races,” said Olivieri. “So, we opted to put him out in the paddock for three or four weeks and then bring him back in.
“He is now headed for the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup, and the Slot race in April if someone wants him. Tonight’s race was a beautiful race to get him underway for his campaign. What he didn’t need was to go in a Free-For-All and get gutted. He will now race fortnightly; that’s his normal pattern.
“Point to point he is near on the fastest horse I’ve ever had. Last February he finished ninth behind Wildwest in the Pacing Cup when Voaky came off the fence and went six wide and got nothing, while Wildwest came from behind him, got up on the inside and won. I think Papinik should have run in the first four.
“The race he could have won was the Fremantle Cup. But he didn’t get in the field, and he won the consolation.”