Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Age is not a problem for ten-year-old Disco Under Fire, who raced with youthful enthusiasm to score an easy win in the 2130m Book Beau Rivage For CNY Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Starting the second favourite at $4.40, Disco Under Fire began speedily for Chris Voak and set a solid pace before winning by almost two lengths from the fast-finishing Walsh ($9.50) to end a losing sequence of 23.
“He has been screaming out to lead in a race, and he finally got the chance (from barrier two) tonight, and he won like I believed he would if he led,” said Voak.
The win gave Voak’s father-in-law Frank Vanmaris his first metropolitan win as a trainer since Rabchenko was successful at Gloucester Park on September 24, 2021. The 59-year-old Vanmaris, a retired crane driver at Alcoa, prepares Disco Under Fire at Pinjarra where he helps Voak with his team of pacers.
Vanmaris is the eighth trainer Disco Under Fire has had in his 176-start career of 16 wins, 53 placings and $177,137 in prizemoney. He has won six times at Gloucester Park, four times at Albany, three times at Pinjarra and once each at Bunbury, Narrogin and Wagin.
Disco Under Fire, by former champion pacer Courage Under Fire, is the first foal out of Midnight Disco, who had 55 starts for seven wins, 13 placings and $45,351. He is closely related to Disco Force, who earned $268,416 from 27 wins and 20 placings from 99 starts. He won at his eight starts as a two-year-old in 2000, with his major victories being in the Golden Slipper, the Pearl Classic and the State Sires Series final.