Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred three-year-old Thelittle Master was up against three eight-year-olds, three seven-year-olds, two six-year-olds and one four-year-old when he lined up out wide at barrier seven in the 2130m Retravision Online Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
And the Greg and Skye Bond-trained gelding was driven like the best horse in the race by Deni Roberts, who guided him to a five-length victory over $8 chance Hengheng, rating 1.57.7 after final quarters of 27.8sec. and 28.8sec.
Surprisingly, the polemarker, eight-year-old Im Spiderman was the $2.20 favourite, with Thelittle Master great value at $2.40.
Im Spiderman, with a losing sequence of twelve, set the pace while Roberts gave Thelittle Master plenty of time to settle down before going forward, out three wide, to move to the breeze with two laps to travel.
Thelittle Master took the lead 570m from home and simply coasted to the line.
This was Thelittle Master’s fourth appearance after a seven-month absence (between April and November) and he now boasts a record of 24 starts for six wins, eight placings and $76,697. Roberts has handled him nine times for his six wins. His best performance was finishing third behind stablemate Vegas Strip in the Golden Slipper in September.
He is by Vincent and is out of the Christian Cullen mare Anna Faye, who had 90 starts for 12 wins, 19 placings and $79,497. After four wins in Victoria Anna Faye won eight more times in WA.
“The plan tonight was to hang out there early and let him settle before popping forward,” said Roberts, who explained his lengthy absence earlier this year was due to a bone chip in a hock.