Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Deni Roberts continued her outstanding form in the sulky when she drove aggressively to land $18.10 chance Beyond Bling a thrilling winner by a nose in the 1730m Freshest Hits And Throwbacks On Nova Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. The win completed a treble for Roberts, who had been successful with Jett Star and Brulee earlier in the night.
Beyond Bling’s win gave Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop his second success for the week, following the Beaudster’s victory at his Australian debut, at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
“Most of the luck we’ve had with the team lately has been bad, but I now think we’ve turned the corner,” said Mellsop.
The New South Wales-bred Beyond Bling began from barrier five, and Roberts made the winning move by getting the four-year-old away speedily to charge straight to the front, thus denying the $2.40 favourite Kimble, who was fast away from the No. 7 barrier but unable to take the lead.
“His gate speed will be an asset, and once in front he tries,” said Mellsop. “He is a lovely little hard-trying horse.”
Beyond Bling, who is raced by Murray Butterworth’s Getting Involved Racing Syndicate and several other stable clients, arrived in Western Australia after winning at two of his seven starts in New South Wales. The Bling It On gelding has raced 22 times for Mellsop for five wins and nine placings. He is the third foal out of the Life Sign mare Abovenbeyond, who earned $55,840 from 16 wins and 20 placings from 70 starts.
Carrera Mach ($4.20) raced in the breeze throughout and fought on determinedly to finish a nose behind Beyond Bling, who rated 1.57.9 after final quarters of 28.1sec. and 29.1sec. Name In Lights ($61) was seventh early and then enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail before finishing gamely to be third.