Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star reinsman Chris Voak has a high opinion of the lightly raced four-year-old Storm The Beach, who was not extended in winning the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is still very green, but he is tough, he can stick and has a high cruising speed,” said Voak after Storm The Beach, the $1.20 favourite, beat the $101 outsider Courage Of Lombo by just under four lengths.
Courage Of Lombo began very fast from out wide at barrier eight for Jamie Rigoli and dashed away to lead by three lengths soon after the start.
“I didn’t chase Storm The Beach out at the start,” said Voak. “When Courage Of Lombo went forward I let him go, and I expected he would hand up to me. Otherwise, I was prepared to rate Storm The Beach in the breeze.”
Storm The Beach took over as the pacemaker after 650m and he simply coasted home, with a final quarter of 28.2sec. to win at a modest 1.59.1 rate.
The New Zealand-bred Storm The Beach has done all his racing in Western Australia, for four wins, three seconds and stakes of $26,179. He is owned and is trained in Busselton by Katie Howlett, a daughter of prominent trainer Barry Howlett.
He is by American sire Sunshine Beach and is the fourth foal out of Elsu mare Alta Panache, who managed one win and four placings for stakes of $8768 from 26 starts.