Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star young pacer Never Ending resumed after a seven-month absence in grand style at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was not extended in winning the 2130m Australian Premium Feeds Pace.
The Sweet Lou three-year-old remained unbeaten from seven starts and showed that he would be hard to beat in the $50,000 Pearl Classic on May 26 when he raced in fourth position, with cover, in the field of six before starting a three-wide move with 300m to travel, taking the lead on the home turn and winning by a length from Hotly Pursued, rating 1.57.9, with a final 400m of 27.6sec. following opening quarters of 31.6sec., 30.5sec. and 29.1sec.
“I think there should be plenty of improvement in him,” said trainer Justin Prentice. “He is not heavily raced and is still learning. It was good to have him race with a sit tonight, and he settled really well.
“I thought his steering wasn’t great, but Junior (reinsman Gary Hall Jnr) was happy with it. He races with a pricker on his inside. He will work towards the Pearl and some time after that he will have a short let-up before getting ready for the WA Derby on November 3.”
Never Ending, purchased for $75,000 at the APG 2021 Perth yearling sale and raced by 13 of Prentice’s clients, has amassed $286,230 from his seven wins.
He is the eighth foal out of Endless Journey, who raced nine times for two placings and $2560. But she has proved her worth as a brood mare, having also produced Mandy Joan (59 starts for 13 wins, 15 placings and $168,564), Isaiah Artois (26 starts for nine wins, six placings and $117,351) and Dibaba (164 starts for 17 wins, 29 placings and $112,846).