Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A flying start from the No. 4 barrier paved the way for New Zealand-bred three-year-old Tualou’s easy victory in the 2536m Barbagallo Rolls-Royce Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Sweet Lou gelding, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who was pleased that the gelding showed signs that he is overcoming his tendency to overrace in his races.
“Previously we have been nursing him because of his characteristics of overracing,” said Egerton-Green. “Tonight, he was on the bit but not overracing.”
Tualou settled down with reasonable opening quarters of 29.9sec. and 28.9sec. before he sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 27.7sec. to win by 10m from stablemate and $12 chance Golden Lode, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell.
Another stablemate Christopher Dance, winner of the Group 1 WA Derby a week earlier, was the $1.12 favourite from out wide at barrier six. He was trapped three wide early before getting to the breeze after 400m. He battled on to finish third.
Tualou showed early signs of his excellent gate speed when, at his second start, he began brilliantly from barrier five to dash to an early lead before trailing the pacemaker and then finishing strongly to win over 1700m as a two-year-old at Alexandra Park last year.
He is the second foal out of Mach Three mare Ask Again, who had 19 starts for three wins, three placings and $34,034. Tualou has now earned $59,160 from six wins and three placings from 13 starts.