Four-year-old gelding Thomson Bay, purchased last year for just $1000 by Ashleigh Reeves, is proving a wonderful bargain.
He boosted his earnings to $51,315 for his owner when he made a dashing debut at Gloucester Park on Friday night by winning the 2130m Get the Best Service Only At DTS Pace as an $8.90 chance.
Thomson Bay, trained at Coolup by the owner’s husband Hayden Reeves, now has had ten starts for the stable for seven wins, two seconds and a third. This was his fourth consecutive victory, following three easy wins in Albany.
He was driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, whose only previous drive behind him was at Pinjarra last December when he finished powerfully from sixth at the bell to win by seven lengths.
Thomson Bay raced in fourth position, three back on the pegs in Friday night’s race, with the $1.55 favourite Rakasinc setting a fast pace after a slow lead time of 38.7sec. and dawdling opening quarter of 31sec.
Rakasinc was trailed by $7 chance Machlani, who was eased off the pegs by Chris Voak 420m from home and dashed forward to issue a strong challenge to the leader. But about 100m later Machlani’s nearside sulky wheel was contacted by Thomson Bay, and the resultant punctured tyre hampered Machlani, who battled on to finish third.
Some punters who believe in omens cashed in after seeing that Thomson Bay’s dam is Geordie Bay. The previous event on Friday night’s program was won by Matai Geordie, a six-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding who is not even remotely related to Geordie Bay, whose only foal is Thomson Bay.
Hayden Reeves was not at Gloucester Park to enjoy Thomson Bay’s win. He was in Albany where he had seven runners there for one win an easy all-the-way victory by $1.30 favourite Mollidor in a $7500 event.
Thomson Bay is by former champion American-bred pacer Mr Feelgood, who amassed $3,366,157 from 39 wins and 33 placings from 114 starts. His most notable successes were in the 2009 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley, the 2009 Interdominion Championship at the Gold Coast and the 2010 Victoria Cup at Melton. Geordie Bay raced 11 times for two wins (in the space of eight days at Pinjarra in September 2012) and one placings for earnings of $7399.
By Ken Casellas