Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Five-year-old Petes Honour, bred, owned and trained by Jemma Hayman, has risen to the next level and is ready to maintain his consistent form.
“He is in the zone, and providing he pulls up well after winning tonight I might look at starting him in a Free-For-All next Friday night,” said Hayman.
Petes Honour overcame the task of starting from the back mark of 30 metres to score a narrow win in the Gim Golf Swing, Aim and Win Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night to improve his record to 57 starts for 14 wins, 12 placings and $167,066.
He was driven aggressively by Chris Voak, who settled the Sweet Lou gelding down in ninth position before sending him forward with a three-wide burst after a lap to move to the breeze 1500m from home. He assumed control at the bell and quickly opened up a big lead before holding on to finish a head in front of $4.80 chance Last Hard Copy, who ran home strongly from seventh at the bell.
“I think that the decision to qualify him from a stand about five weeks ago was a wise one,” said Hayman. “Since then, he has raced off back marks and won at his two appearances in stands. And I must pay credit to Murray Hansen, who has done a good job with the horse. He gets on with him really well.”
Petes Honour is the fifth foal out of Arousing, who earned $119,663 from eleven wins and 32 placings from 110 starts. A little more than three hours before Petes Honour’s victory on Friday night, his six-year-old full-sister Ciao Babe was successful in race two at Northam as a $13.10 chance for owner-trainer Robin Bell.
Ciao Babe, who was bred by Hayman, set the pace and won by a length from Satan Princess in the 1780m event at Northam. Ciao Babe was having her 61ST start for Bell, and her win ended a losing sequence of 74. The first foal out of Arousing was Run For Mercy, who was bred, part-owned and trained by Hayman, and was retired with a record of 91 starts for 12 wins, 26 placings and stakes of $132,581. Voak was in the sulky for eight of those victories.