Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Promising New Zealand-bred four-year-old Himself, who flew home from the rear to win the group 1 Golden Nugget a fortnight earlier as a $76.40 rank outsider, was seen in a vastly different role at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was the hot $1.30 favourite who set the pace and won the $23,750 $1 Million Nullarbor April 14 Pace.
Dylan Egerton-Green took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier, and he sent Himself straight to the front and then rated the gelding perfectly to win by a half-neck from stablemate and $23 chance Glenledi Chief, who finished solidly from sixth at the bell.
The final quarters were run in 28.1sec. and 28sec. and the winner rated 1.56 over the 2130m. Egerton-Green appeared anxious as he drove Himself hard in the home straight.
But co-trainer Skye Bond was not concerned, saying: “Himself only does what he has to; he’s a laid-back horse who is better suited using his speed, rather than leading.”
Himself has not been nominated for the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups, but the Bond stable will consider paying a late nomination fee if the gelding continues to perform strongly.
Himself, winner of the 3309m Marathon Handicap in August, has raced 24 times for 12 wins, seven placings and stakes of $252,636. His 13 WA starts have produced nine wins, three seconds and one unplaced effort.