Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Victorian-bred five-year-old The Code Breaker notched his first metropolitan-class victory when he gave an impressive frontrunning display to score a decisive win over the fast-finishing Pontevivo in the $30,000 Group 3 Westerntrilogy.com.au Spring Feature at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The American Ideal gelding is certainly bred to succeed. He is the ninth foal out of the Caprock mare Alldatglittersisgold, who has produced star pacers Bling It On, Baby Bling and Bletchley Park.
Talented young reinsman Kyle Symington, who drove a confident race with the $2.40 favourite after defying a strong early challenge from the highly-regarded Firerockfireroll, predicted many more wins for owners Albert and Julie Walmsley.
“I have quite a big opinion of him,” he said. “We just need him to settle a bit more, but he is improving with every start. He came out quick tonight, and I was holding him (Firerockfireroll) easy. So, I wasn’t expecting Firerockfireroll to keep going (challenging) for that long. But The Code Breaker handled it well.
“I gave him a couple out of the gate, and he got a bit keen. I saw Pontevivo flying down the outside in the home straight, and I was also wary of the horses on my back. I was watching because I knew there were a few sit-sprinters behind me, and I didn’t want to make the mistake of letting Firerockfireroll out.”
The Code Breaker, who was having his fifth start for Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell, has had 53 starts for 12 wins, 17 placings and $94,823. His full-brothers Bling It On and Bletchley Park have been wonderful performers.
Bling It On won five Group 1 events, seven Group 2 races and six Group 3 features in a remarkable career of 100 starts for 49 wins and 24 placings for earnings of $1,882,957, while Bletchley Park has earned $417,028 from 20 wins and 24 placings from 74 starts. Bling It On finished fourth behind Smolda in the Interdominion Championship final at Gloucester Park in December 2016.
Baby Bling, a half-sister to Bling It On, Bletchley Park and The Code Breaker, raced 55 times for 21 wins, ten placings and stakes of $854,490. She appeared twice at Gloucester Park in November and December 2012 when she won the Group 1 Mares Classic and finished second to Lucie Boshier in the Group 3 Norms Daughter Classic.