Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Byford trainer Peter Tilbrook had no concerns about starting three-year-old against older and more experienced pacers in the 2130m Book Your NYE @ Gloucester Park Pace at harness racing’s headquarters on Friday night.
His confidence was justified when Emily Suvaljko drove Seven No Trumps, an $18.70 chance, to victory after revealing considerable toughness. The win completed a double for Suvaljko, who had been successful earlier in the night with $22.40 chance Bettor Get It On.
“There were no other races for him,” said Tilbrook. “But I was confident he would run a good race. He has been going really well all season. He has been racing against the top three-year-olds, and racing very well against them, without a lot of luck.
“He seems to enjoy doing all the work (racing three wide in the early stages and then in the breeze after 650m). He gets more involved when he gets up there, and he seems to go better. Sometimes when we have driven him soft, and gone back looking for a soft run, he hasn’t done that well.”
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Serious Moonlite was the $1.14 favourite at his Australian debut for trainer Michael Young. Aiden De Campo sent the Art Major gelding straight to the front from the No. 1 barrier, and after a smart lead time of 36.7sec. he coasted through the opening quarters of the final mile in 31.4sec. and 31.3sec.
Suvaljko drove Seven No Trumps positively, and the gelding raced wide before getting to the breeze after 600m. Veteran pacer Athabascan ($41) began speedily from the No. 7 barrier, and he led by a length after 150m but was unable to cross to the front. Chris Lewis then was able to slot Athabascan into the one-out, one-back position, following Seven No Trumps.
Athabascan ran home strongly to finish an excellent second, only a neck behind Seven No Trumps.
“I didn’t come out hard; I let them go forward before I worked my way round (to the breeze),” said Suvaljko. “I thought that cover might come, but I ended up in the breeze. However, it worked out in the end.
“He felt the best he has ever felt in the preliminary. He tried to bolt a few times, so I knew he was feeling good. They changed a bit of head gear, and he felt so much sharper.”