Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Experienced trainer-reinsman Callan Suvaljko and his wife Amanda have no regrets about outlaying $5000 two years ago to purchase veteran pacer Tuas Delight, who showed that there is plenty of life left in his nine-year-old legs when he set the pace and was untroubled to win the 2536m Summit Bloodstock Thankyou Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His victory improved his record for the Suvaljkos to 45 starts for five wins, eight placings and $60,807 in prizemoney for a career record of 149 starts for 15 wins, 28 placings and $175,425.
And this is despite Tuas Delight damaging his nearside tendon in August 2021, and injury which was expected to end his career. But he responded well to treatment and was able to resume racing after an 11-month absence.
Since his resumption Tuas Delight has had 15 starts for two wins, four placings for $32,161 in stakes.
“When he hurt his leg, I thought that he had no hope of coming back and racing again,” said Suvaljko. “I spelled him, and he is now as good as gold. After he had finished second to Rock Me Over a week ago, I gave him a good chance of winning tonight.”
Tuas Delight, the $5.20 second favourite, was smartest to begin from the No. 2 barrier before he set a solid pace and romped to a 14m victory over $61 outsider La Suleiman, who trailed him throughout. The $1.55 favourite Manning came from the rear in the middle stages to race in the breeze, but just battled on to be a well-beaten third.
Before coming to Western Australia Tuas Delight raced 15 times in New Zealand for five placings and then had seven starts in New South Wales for four wins at Penrith in 2016.
Tuas Delight is a half-brother to Hokuri Handrail, who had 40 starts in WA in 2012-13-14 for 13 wins and five placings. He then travelled to America where he won another 21 times before being retired with 35 wins, 44 placings and stakes of $342,457 from 2011 starts.