Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The $50,000 Winter Cup on Friday week is on the agenda for consistent seven-year-old The Code Breaker, who maintained his solid form with a smart victory in the $31,000 Smooth FM Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The veteran Victorian-bred performer was driven for only the fourth time by Aiden De Campo, whose previous results with him resulted in a third at Narrogin on April 27, 2021, a second at Gloucester Park on My 6, 2022, and another second at Gloucester Park on May 12, 2023.
The Code Breaker was an $11 chance from barrier three, with Steel The Show a dominant $1.60 favourite from out wide at barrier No. 6.
The polemarker While They Pray ($5.50) set a fast pace, while De Campo was content to allow The Code Breaker to race comfortably in fifth place in the field of six, three back on the pegs.
Jett Star ($6) raced in the breeze and took a narrow lead 550m from home before Steel The Show, who had enjoyed a perfect trail, one-out and one-back, took a narrow lead 100m from the post. But The Code Breaker finished determinedly to get up in the final few strides to beat Steel The Show by a half-length, rating 1.56.7 over the 2536m journey.
“The way The Code Breaker has been working I gave him a place chance,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “He is an honest horse but sometimes I question whether he is genuine enough. But he was genuine tonight because I thought Aiden pulled out way too early when I thought he should have waited until the furlong (about 200 metres from home) instead of pulling out with about 380m to go.”
The Code Breaker was purchased for $72,500 at the 2018 APG yearling sale in Melbourne, and he now has earned $214,346 from 18 wins and 30 placings from 86 starts.
The Code Breaker is by American Ideal and is the ninth foal out of the Caprock mare Alldatglittersisgold, whose progeny includes star performers Bling It On (100 starts for 49 wins, 24 placings and $1,882,957), Bletchley Park (75 starts for 20 wins, 24 placings and $418,028) and Baby Bling (55 starts for 21 wins, ten placings and $854,490).