Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Mundijong trainer Michael Young’s rising star continued to shine at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he won the $26,000 Zac Williams Pace with $16.10 chance Alcippes Delight.
The four-year-old mare’s head victory over the $2.45 favourite American Arma chalked up Young’s 50TH metropolitan winner for the season which places him second behind Greg and Skye Bond’s tally of 66 winners and has him one winner ahead of Gary Hall Snr.
The 33-year-old Young, in his third season as a trainer, is also in second place behind the Bonds on the statewide trainers’ premiership table with 72 winners and 71 placegetters from 238 starters.
Alcippes Delight began from the No. 3 barrier, and Maddison Brown quickly guided her in behind American Arma, who dashed straight to the front from barrier four. Alcippes Delight ran home strongly, and she took the lead 50m from the post and won by a head from American Arma, rating 1.56.7 over the 2130m.
The victory made amends for Alcippes Delight’s head second to Love And Kisses at Gloucester Park three days earlier.
“Her win tonight did not surprise me,” said Young. “Her form has been really good, and I was surprised she didn’t win on Tuesday night. She pulled up a bit big, so that run probably topped her off for tonight.
“She is a good sit and sprint horse who was racing way up in grade tonight. She will drop back in weaker company in an M0 event for mares next Friday night.”
Alcippes Delight, a winner at two of her ten New Zealand starts, has had eight starts in WA for four wins and three placings. She is the ninth foal out of unraced mare Pita Pocket, the dam of Socrates, who has made a big impression in WA with his first 15 starts in the State producing seven wins and three placings.