Ken Casellas | Race Replay
Punters took very little notice of form when they disregarded the prospects of handy four-year-old Del Bocavista Bay in the Taste of WA in the Beau Rivage Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Six nights earlier, Del Bocavista Bay began from the 40m mark (virtually 30m because there were no front-line runners) and was the $2.45 favourite in a 2560m stand at Northam when he scored an impressive victory, winning by a length and a half from Recover Lover after racing in seventh position and then making a fast move with 1400m to travel to quickly get on terms with the pacemaker Sir Belvedere and then bursting to the front 800m later.
Trent Wheeler was engaged by Coolup trainer Hayden Reeves to drive Del Bocavista Bay in Friday night’s 2130m mobile event, and the Bonavista Bay gelding was overlooked by punters and was a rank outsider at $108.50, a far cry from his $2.45 price the previous Saturday night.
Tantabiddi, the $3.10 favourite, set the pace from barrier five, while Wheeler has content to allow Del Bocavista Bay to relax in sixth position, one-out and two-back.
After a 28.3sec. third quarter of the final mile, Wheeler switched Del Bocavista Bay three wide and despite a slight hiccup when he paced roughly turning for home, he got to the front in the final 80m and won by a half-length from $12 chnace Callmewhatuwant, rating 1.58.2.
Del Bocavista Bay, bred and owned by Ashleigh Reeves, is the fifth foal out of Blissfull Hall mare Lorinda Hall, who raced 16 times for three wins, two placings and $9395 in stakes.
Lorinda Hall is a half-sister to seven winners, including Scot Bay (101 starts for 17 wins, 19 placings and $134,886) and Kimba Bay (50 starts for 20 wins, 14 placings and $219,382).
Scot Bay was a star juvenile who won at his first five appearances as a two-year-old, while Kimba Bay won the group 1 Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings in July 2013 before winning the 2015 Albany Cup and 2016 Harvey Cup on the Albany track.