Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mardella trainer Michael Young issued a strong warning to the connections of the State’s best mares when he declared after Penny Black’s effortless win in the $30,000 BOTRA Driving The Industry Forward Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night that the inexperienced four-year-old would be considerably better later this year.
“She is lightly raced and is still learning her craft,” he said. “She does just what she has to, and I don’t think she has been fully extended in winning at her first six starts here. She just looks after herself.
“I’m now setting her for another feature race in a fortnight and then after that she will have a spell before coming back for the big races like the Norms Daughter Classic and the Mares Classic later in the year.
The New Zealand-bred Penny Black was the $1.30 favourite from the No. 2 barrier on the back line on Friday night when she settled down in last place in the field of twelve before Shannon Suvaljko dashed her forward with a three-wide burst after about 250m.
She then burst to the front 300m later and was not extended in setting the pace and winning by two lengths from $31 chance Rattlin Lilly, who fought on grimly after racing without cover for the final circuit. The final 800m was covered in 57.4sec. and Penny Black rated 1.57.1 over the 2130m.
“It all worked out okay early when she got a good run through,” said Suvaljko. “She then showed her class to get around the field and dominate the race. She is laid back and keeps on finding.”
Penny Black is a star in the making and her twelve starts have produced seven wins, two placings and $67,874 in prizemoney.