Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Talented horseman Dylan Egerton-Green and five-year-old stallion Ideal Agent have formed a remarkable partnership, with the New Zealand-bred pacer emerging as a major contender for the rich Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups.
Ideal Agent, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, staked his claims for the big races with a superb victory in the $30,000 Celebrate NYE Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was driven with patience and skill by Egerton-Green, who has handled the pacer six times for five wins and a fourth placing.
Ideal Agent is one of several top-class pacers from the powerful Bond stable who will contest the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup over 2536m next Friday week and the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup over 2936m a fortnight later.
Ideal Agent was a $9.80 chance from the inside of the back line in Friday night’s 2536m event in which Egerton-Green was content to remain three back on the pegs, with stablemate Vampiro, a $16 chance having his first start for eleven months, setting the pace and being trailed by $8.50 chance Vultan Tin.
Prince Of Pleasure, the $3.40 favourite, started from the outside of the back line, and Gary Hall Jnr quickly had him in the one-out, one-back position before sending him forward, three wide, after 400m to race in the breeze. Minstrel ($3.60) settled in eighth place before Ryan Warwick dashed him forward to the breeze with 1400m to travel.
Hall eased Prince Of Pleasure out three wide 220m from home and the lightly-raced five-year-old surged forward to hit the front 40m from the post. Egerton-Green was able to get Ideal Agent off the inside when Prince Of Pleasure vacated the one-wide line, and Ideal Agent, sixth at the 100m, charged home to snatch a last-stride victory by a half-head over Prince Of Pleasure. The final 800m was covered in 56.6sec. and the winner rated 1.57.7.
Minstrel, who had taken a narrow lead 55m from the post, was a close-up third, just ahead of Hampton Banner.
“When Junior (Hall) went, I followed him through, and it all worked out well,” said Egerton-Green.
Skye Bond was full of praise for Ideal Agent, saying: “He has an amazing record, and he has been waiting for that run (on the pegs) where he is able to sit and kick. He has been breezing in most of his recent runs.”
The Bonds have nominated Ideal Agent, Minstrel, Patronus Star, Vampiro, Mighty Conqueror, Galactic Star, Glenledi Chief and Steel The Show for the Cups, and are seriously considering paying a late nomination fee for Himself.
Mrs Bond said that Patronus Star and Mighty Conqueror would contest the $100,000 Stratton Cup next Friday night but is pessimistic about the prospects of New Zealand pacer Steel The Show running in the Cups.
“Steel The Show has been here for a couple of weeks and at this stage he is unlikely to run in the big races,” she said. “The travel over and getting acclimatised to the hot weather are likely to prevent him from running, and that’s probably in the best interests of the horse.”