Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The Warwick name is synonymous with WA pacing, and this famous dynasty seized the limelight at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the Katja Warwick-trained All Is Well produced a superb performance to snatch a dramatic victory in the $30,000 Warwick Pace, a feature event run to acknowledge and celebrate the wonderful deeds of the family over the past 65-odd years.
“It’s a bit special to win a race named after your family,” said Mrs Warwick, who predicted further successes for the WA-bred four-year-old.
“He’s really showing that he is coming into himself and is turning into a lovely horse. He is getting stronger and is starting to get more and more bottom to him. He is also going to get more versatile as he gets older and stronger.”
All Is Well, the $3.40 second fancy from barrier No. 6, was restrained at the start by champion reinsman Chris Lewis and settled down in tenth position, while the $2.20 favourite Lucca was setting a slow pace after being beaten for early speed and then dashing to the front after 400m.
Lucca ambled over the opening quarter of the final mile in 32.2sec., with Spring Line ($17) not exerting any great pressure from the breeze.
“I thought that, after the 32.2sec. section, All Is Well would find it hard to win,” said Mrs Warwick. “But he did a fine job.”
All Is Well was ninth at the bell before he surged forward and got on terms with Lucca 450m from home. The two pacers then were locked together until All Is Well fought on grimly to get up in the final stride to beat Lucca by a half-head, after final 400m sections of 28.9sec. and 27.4sec. Mister Montblanc ($13) was a length farther back in third place after leading early and then trailing the pacemaker.
All Is Well, purchased for $16,000 by Mrs Warwick at the 2021 Perth APG yearling sale, has raced 32 times for eleven wins, nine placings and stakes of $108,124.
The late Bill Warwick was a prominent trainer in the 1960s and 70s, and his sons Trevor (husband of Katja), Colin and Barry have been highly successful as trainers and drivers, with Trevor’s sons Justin and Aiden shining as outstanding trainers and drivers, and Colin’s son Ryan still driving in great style with 1936 winners under his belt.