Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Outstanding young trainer Michael Young is unable to hide his admiration for five-year-old Eighteen Carat, who he declares is one of the smartest mares in Western Australia.
“The $150,000 Mares Classic on November 25 is the main aim for Eighteen Carat, and I think she can give it a shake,” he said after Gary Hall Jnr had driven the $1.30 favourite to an effortless victory in the $30,000 WASBA Four And Five-Year-Old Mares Pace, a group 3 event over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“There’s another $30,000 race for mares next Friday night, and after that she might have one more start before a break and then being freshened up for the Mares Classic,” said Young.
Eighteen Carat began from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night when Hall sent her straight to the front. After a slow lead time of 38.4sec. and modest opening quarters of 32sec. and 30.8sec., she sped over the final 400m sections in 29sec. and 27.8sec. to win by just over a length from the $8.50 equal second fancy Sunshine Swift, rating 1.59.4.
Sunshine Swift enjoyed the run of the race behind Eighteen Carat, who finished two lengths clear of the third placegetter Sahara Storm ($8.50), who raced three back on the pegs all the way.
Eighteen Carat, a Mach Three mare and a winner of five races in New Zealand, has been most impressive in WA with her four starts in the State producing three wins and a third placing. She now has earned $97,931. Friday night’s victory completed a double for Young and Hall, who had combined to win with Plutonium earlier in the night.