Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Byford trainer Karen Thompson made a wise decision to spend $11,000 to buy Navy Street 14 months ago. The WA-bred six-year-old boosted his earnings for his new owner to $66,212, from four wins and six placings from 38 starts, when Tom Nally drove the gelding to an all-the-way victory in the $21,000 RAC Members Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The 22-year-old Nally, having his first drive behind Navy Street, dashed the $15.90 chance straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier and then was able to coast through the lead time in 38sec. and the opening quarters in 32sec. and 30.8sec. before increasing the tempo with final 400m sections of 28sec. and 27.8sec.
Last-start winner Bettors Pride was the $1.65 favourite from barrier two on the back line. Shannon Suivaljko got him away smartly and quickly into an ideal spot, one-out and one-back. He finished strongly but was unable to overhaul the pacemaker who won by a head, rating 1.58.3 over 2130m.
Veteran pacer Cams Boulder raced without cover and did well to hold on and finish third.
“I was getting bit nervous over the final hundred metres,” said Nally. “But Navy Street tried his heart out and stuck his head out at the finish.”
Navy Street, a gelding by American sire Hes Watching, runs his best races when he sets the pace, and he now has raced 81 times for 14 wins, 16 placings and stakes of $140,931.