Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Carana has proved to be virtually unbeatable in standing-start events, and not even the back mark of 30 metres could prevent him from winning the $30,000 Garrard’s BOTRA Cup over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
At his first start for five weeks he was a $12.20 chance, with Stuart McDonald driving the Bettors Delight gelding for the first time. Carana’s four-year-old stablemate Lusaka, shared the back mark with Carana and was the $3.10 favourite.
Carana began like a flash and settled down in eighth position, with the $3.80 second fancy Rock Artist freewheeling out in front, and Lucapelo ($14) and Otis ($8) at the rear after Lucapelo had swung sideways at the start and Otis had broken into a gallop soon after the start.
McDonald bided his time, with Carana travelling comfortably in the one-out, two-back position and being tracked by Lusaka. Carana began a three-wide move 650m from home and was followed by Lusaka.
Rock Artist sprinted over the third quarter of the final mile in 28.60sec. but was unable to hold out Carana, who took a narrow lead on the home turn and went on to win comfortably from Rock Artist, rating 1.58.5.
Carana’s victory gave leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond their third win in the BOTRA Cup, following the successes of Fizzing in 2019 and Minstrel in 2021.
Carana has raced only 31 times for 13 wins and nine placings for earnings of $135,275.
He has contested 28 standing-start events for 13 wins (two in New Zealand and 11 in WA), seven seconds and one third placing.
“We had a good getaway and a couple of our rivals didn’t get away well,” said McDonald. “We took advantage of our good start, and I was pretty confident soon after the start that we could win.”