Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Strauny, a big, strong five-year-old pacer, was a hot $1.60 favourite in the 2503m standing-start TABtouch WA Pacing Cup Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night when his task appeared hopeless when he galloped badly at the start, losing about ten lengths.
But he overcame the odds and went on to score a fighting victory, holding $10 chance Aussie Scooter at bay in the final stages to win by just under a half-length.
Strauny, from barrier five on the front line, broke into a gallop after a couple of strides and settled down in ninth position while the $3.80 second fancy Cooper was setting a modest pace.
Gary Hall Jnr, driving the Peter Tilbrook-trained Strauny for the first time, seized the initiative by sending Strauny forward after Master Yossi ($13) had taken the lead 600m after the start. Strauny moved to the breeze 1500m from home and he eventually got to the front with 320m to travel.
Aussie Scooter came from eighth in the middle stages to sustain a solid three-wide burst to finish a close second to Strauny.
“Strauny stepped away for four strides and then he couldn’t hold his gait and broke,” said Tilbrook. “He is just learning how to race in stands. In these races you’re under high pressure, with good standing-start horses around you. And that puts a horse under pressure.
“I’ll persevere with stands. He is now out of the draw which is probably not a bad thing because it will give Strauny a bit of room, and he may be able to follow them out and learn a bit more about it. Ideally, it will be better now coming from the 10m or 20m marks.
“After that bit of a burn from Master Yossi, and when Gary made the move to the breeze at the right time I was confident. Strauny doesn’t let horses pass him very often. Aussie Scooter looked a danger for a while, and then couldn’t pass him.”
Strauny is by Indomitable Saab and is the first foal out of the Badlands Hanover mare Caval Ridge, a winner of 13 races in Queensland. Strauny has earned $73,681 from nine wins and six placings from 31 starts.