Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred six-year-old Watching Our Coin has contested stands at six of his past nine starts for two wins and three seconds.
But his future racing will be in mobile events, said his trainer Michael Young after the gelding set the pace and won the New Season Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I don’t want to gut him, chasing from back marks in stands,” said Young.
“There are no real plans for Watching Our Coin; he’s still a few wins away from Free-For-Alls, so we will just keep ticking them (wins) as often as we can.
“He has won a Free-For-All when racing well out of his class when we felt we might try to get a run in the WA Pacing Cup in November. He won at his first go in Free-For-All company (beating Tenzing Bromac and Prince Of Pleasure on August 4) and then finished down the track at his next couple of runs.
“So, we decided to spell him. He has had a taste of Free-For-Alls. So he won’t be a fish out of water when he gets there again. His run tonight was okay. He is never impressive, and I don’t think he has ever looked impressive in any of his wins. He is a relaxed customer who does just what he has to.
“He probably races better when he’s breezing, rather than leading, because he concentrates a bit more in the breeze.”
Watching Our Coin, the $1.40 favourite, began smoothly from the front line and Gary Hall Jnr gave him a relaxing time in front before lifting the tempo with final quarters of 29.6sec., 28.4sec. and 28.7sec.
He won by just over a length from $23 chance Fleur Du Marquis, who galloped at the start and settled down in last position in the field of seven before Kyle Harper sent her forward in the first lap to race in the breeze. She fought on in fine style and held on gamely to finish a half-head in front of $6 chance Ardens Horizon, who trailed the leader all the way.
Watching Our Coin has earned $134,092 from ten wins and 14 placings from 46 starts.