Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star reinsman Ryan Warwick admitted that brilliant New Zealand-bred three-year-old Ragazzo Mach would prove extremely hard to beat in the 2130m Retravision 60 Day Price Promise Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
So, he hatched a daring plan for talented four-year-old Ideal Agent to beat the $1.50 favourite Ragazzo Mach, who had scored effortless victories at Pinjarra at his first two appearances in Australia.
Warwick’s tactics succeeded, and Ideal Agent, the second fancy at $3.80, scored a dazzling win at a fast 1.53.5 rate, with Ragazzo Mach finishing second, seven lengths astern of the pacemaker.
Ideal Agent began fast from barrier No. 2, and after a lead time of 37.1sec. he sped over the quarters of the final mile in 28.6sec., 28.2sec., 27.5sec. and 28.9sec., leaving Ragazzo Mach with no answer to his sustained speed.
Mark Reed sent Ragazzo Mach forward, three wide early and into the breeze 500m after the start, but the colt was unable to make any impression on the flying pacemaker.
“We had to make a decision on how we wanted to go about our tactics because I thought if we ran a normal race we may have been able to beat Ragazzo Mach, but probably not,” said Warwick.
“So, we had to do something a little bit left of centre. It was a bit ballsy, but you’ve got to try. If we hadn’t, we probably wouldn’t have won.”
The New Zealand-bred Ideal Agent is bred in the purple and looks set for a marvellous career. He has raced 38 times for eight wins, 14 placings and $83,791 in stakes. His 31 New Zealand starts produced four wins, nine seconds and three thirds, and in WA he has had seven starts for four wins, two seconds and a seventh placing.
Ideal Agent, by American Ideal, is the first foal out of the unraced Bettors Delight mare Lady Smack, whose dam Lady Fingers produced champion mare The Orange Agent, who amassed $746,423 in prizemoney from her 23 wins and six placings from 33 starts.
The Orange Agent won six group 1 events, four in New Zealand and two in Australia, as well as winning three group 2 events and three group 3 races. She was unbeaten at her five appearances in Australia, all at Melton, with her wins including the Breeders Crown for three-year-old fillies in August 2015 and the Queen of pacific Classic in May 2017.
Robb Stark, a half-brother to The Orange Agent, raced 38 times for five wins, 14 placings and $63,324. He was trained by Gary Hall snr in 2018 and 2019 when he won three races and was placed eleven times, including a second to Ana Afreet in the group 3 Preux Chevalier Classic.
Ideal Agent won at three of his first four starts in WA, with Warwick saying: “With the travel and after those few runs we put him in the paddock to give him the chance to eat some grass. “I think he will develop into a good performer. He was good tonight when he was able to run his own race. He still needs to learn; he’s lightly raced and is not a real tactical horse. But he’s got a future.”