Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star driver Deni Roberts had to survive a couple of anxious moments before guiding top-flight pacer Tenzing Bromac to a hard-fought victory in the $31,000 Trotsynd Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Tenzing Bromac, the $1.30 favourite from out wide at barrier No. 7, raced three wide early before getting past The Code Breaker and into the lead after about 500m, and after a third quarter of 29.5sec. he dashed over the final 400m in 27.7sec. when he had to be driven hard by Roberts in the final stages to beat his stablemate Jett Star ($23) by a half-neck, rating 1.56 over 2130m.
Approaching the home turn Tenzing Bromac began to hang out and was in some danger of The Code Breaker getting an advantageous inside run. And then Tenzing Bromac had to fight on grimly to hold out Jett Star, who finished determinedly after working hard in the breeze for much of the way.
“I had to do a little bit to get to the front, but Tenzing Bromac is used to doing work in his races,” said Roberts. “He ran out on the home turn but once I got him straightened, we found our place again. And then Jett Star got me a bit scared down the straight. But tensing Bromac always seems to find that extra gear.”
Tenzing Bromac, a lightly-raced Bettors Delight six-year-old, owned and trained by Greg and Skye Bond, has resumed after a spell in fine form and his victory on Friday night took his record to 39 starts for 19 wins, 14 placings and $302,475 in stakes.