Latest News

Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators

Rangy American Ideal four-year-old The Ideal Touch revealed admirable strength when he raced without cover before winning the 2130m Sky Racing Pace in fine style at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He was the $1.90 favourite from barrier five and was kept honest in the breeze by the pacemaker and $5.50 third fancy Baltic Ace, who ran a solid lead time of 36.6sec., followed by quarters of 29.7sec., 28sec. and 28.5sec.

Gary Hall jnr dashed The Ideal Touch to the front 250m from the post and the gelding went on to win by a half-length from his stablemate and $3.70 second favourite Heez Our Perseus, who ran home strongly after enjoying the one-out, one-back trail. The winner rated 1.55 and took his record to 19 starts for eight wins and five placings and stakes of $74,595.

He won once from four starts in New Zealand where his final appearance was in the group 1 Two-Year-Old Emerald at Addington in June 2019 when he finished fourth.

“The Ideal Touch is a big horse who has had leg problems,” said trainer Gary Hall snr. “They have cleared up and he’s going well. He ran a reasonable time tonight and did it hard.”

The Ideal Touch is the fourth foal out of the Mach Three mare Touch Of Rose, a winner at four of her 43 starts and $69,756 in prizemoney.