Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Handy four-year-old mare Ruby Lou, unplaced at her previous nine starts, ended a losing sequence of eleven when Shannon Suvaljko guided her to an all-the-way win in the 2130m Book Into Steelo’s Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Ruby Lou, trained by Kevin Keys and the $4.50 second fancy, owed her success to a cagey drive from Suvaljko, who took full advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier and was able to dawdle through the lead time in 37.5sec. and the opening quarters in 30.5sec. and 30.3sec.
This left the $3.20 favourite Opal Hunter hopelessly hemmed in on the pegs throughout the race after beginning from the inside of the back line and immediately behind Ruby Lou.
“The barrier draw made a big difference tonight and walking in front helped,” said Keys. “Ruby Lou was unlucky when tenth in a race at Pinjarra four days earlier when she was badly held up for a clear run.”
Suvaljko admitted that he was extremely anxious to keep Opal Hunter under lock and key behind Ruby Lou, saying: “We were able to keep Robbie (Williams) in a pocket, especially around this track with no sprint lane. If you can keep the horse behind you boxed in, it pays dividends.
“Opal Hunter is probably the better horse (than Ruby Lou), but from his draw Robbie had to drive him for luck, and we were able to control the race.”
Ruby Lou has raced 45 times for seven wins, nine placings and $119,981.
Keys, Suvaljko and owner Jim Giumelli completed a double when $9.50 chance Koojan was successful in the 2130m $9 Swan Draught Pints Pace when making his first appearance for four months.
Koojan began from the No. 2 barrier and following a fast lead time of 35.6sec. he took up the running after 350m before Suvaljko surrendered the lead soon after to the $1.16 favourite Beetastic, who slowed the tempo noticeably with an opening 400m of 31.8sec.
Koojan was eased off the pegs 250m from home and he ran home strongly to take the lead 30m from the post and win by a half-length from $15 chance Wall Street Girl, who had raced without cover and had got to the front in the home straight. Beetastic was a wilting third.