Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
In-form reinsman Mitch Miller blamed a series of wide barriers for the reason why Soho Firestone went into the 2130m 7Plus Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night with a losing sequence of 14.
And his confidence was boosted when the Kim Prentice-trained four-year-old drew favourably at barrier two.
“He has been crying out for a draw and hadn’t won a race for about ten or twelve starts,” he said after guiding Soho Firestone, the $3.30 second favourite, to an all-the-way win at a 1.57 rate.
“He has never been going better, and he deserved the win. He won as easily as I thought he would. He has been a leader for his whole career.”
Soho Firestone set a solid pace, and he sprinted over the final quarters in 28.3sec. and 28.2sec. on his way to beating three-year-old Vegas Strip ($16) by 10m. Vegas Strip began out wide at barrier nine and raced at the rear before sustaining a powerful burst from 11TH at the bell.
Soho Firestone, bred and owned by Rob Watson, has earned $111,293 from ten wins and 15 placings from 45 starts.