Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Deni Roberts was full of praise for Tualou when she drove him to six of his seven wins as a three-year-old last year, but she made the right choice when she opted to handle stablemate Aardiebytheseaside ahead of Tualou in the $31,000 Westral Roller Shutters Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Tualou, who was favourably drawn at barrier two at his first outing for five months, was the $3.20 second fancy with Dylan Egerton-Green in the sulky, while Aardiebytheseaside was the $3 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of six.
Roberts wisely restrained Aardiebytheseaside at the start, realising that the polemarker and $3.70 chance Montana D J was certain to lead, and not wanting her mare to race without cover.
Montana D J was keen in the score-up and he covered the lead time in a smart 36.5sec., with Tualou caught in the breeze and Aardiebytheseaside relaxing in last position before Roberts eased her three wide 275m from home. Aardiebytheseaside sprinted strongly, burst to the front at the 60m mark and went on to win comfortably by 2m from Montana D J, who ruined his chances by hanging out for most of the way. Tualou wilted to finish sixth.
The final quarters were covered in 28.8sec. and 28.7sec. and Aardiebytheseaside rated 1.55.6. This was her fifth run in her current preparation, and it was her first win as a five-year-old.
Aardiebytheseaside, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has amassed $524,388 in prizemoney from 18 wins and 11 placings from 37 starts, and she is sure to be a leading candidate for the rich feature events for mares, the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 7 and the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 21.
“I chose to drive Aardiebytheseaside ahead of Tualou because I thought she was going to get the better trip, and not be too far from them,” said Roberts. “The speed was genuine enough and I didn’t have to get going until late. She let down well and ran a good final quarter.
Roberts and the Bond stable continued in fine form on Saturday night, winning the $35,000 Narrogin Cup with the $1.20 favourite Gee Heza Sport, who raced in the breeze and beat Penny Black by three lengths, rating 1.58.8 over the 2662m trip.
Roberts also was successful with her two other drives at the Narrogin meeting, scoring with the Bond-trained Captains Creek ($1.20) and the Bob Mellsop-trained Swizzlestick ($1.40).