Five-year-old Plutonium, a winner in New Zealand, South Australia and Victoria, ran an excellent trial for next Friday night’s $30,000 John Higgins Memorial when he finished fast to snatch a half-head victory over the $1.18 favourite Alta Engen in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Free Delivery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Part-owner and trainer Michael Young was impressed with the victory and said “I can’t see why he can’t beat Alta Engen again next week, with a good barrier. He races better in front, and if he draws to lead, he will be hard to beat.”
Plutonium was second favourite at $6.90, and from the No. 3 barrier, champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr was content to take the sit behind the polemarker Alta Engen, who was having his second start after a spell, following his convincing all-the-way first-up victory at Gloucester Park ten days earlier.
After a very slow lead time of 40.7sec. Alta Engen dawdled through the opening quarter of the final mile in 31.9sec. before increasing the tempo with 400m sections of 30sec. and 28.4sec. He then sprinted over the final quarter in a smart 27.7sec., but Plutonium finished the better and snatched a last-stride win.
Plutonium, an Auckland Reactor gelding and a winner of one race in New Zealand, three in South Australia and two in Victoria, was purchased for about $16,000 early this year by Young, Mark Leppard, Matt Joss, Dave Boyd and Eddie Burchill and his wife Erica.
He set the pace and won over 2185m at his WA debut at Pinjarra on March 22 before running four seconds and one third from his next 13 starts, mainly from unfavourable barriers. He is developing into a cheap purchase, with his two wins and five placings in WA producing $33,589 in prizemoney.
Young continued in winning vein when the New Zealand-bred filly Miss Serenade, driven by Hall, led all the way and was successful at Bunbury on Saturday night.
Written by: Ken Casellas | Photo Credit: Hamilton Content Creator