Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Dame Valour went into Friday night’s $21,000 Beau Rivage Pace over 2130m as the winner of eight races, four at Northam, two at Bunbury and one each at Pinjarra and Narrogin, but with only five placings from 13 appearances at Gloucester Park.
She finally put the record straight at headquarters when she was the $2.80 favourite who thundered home from eighth at the bell to take the lead 50m from the post and win by almost a length from $17 chance Tubbs Farquhar.
Trainer Aiden De Campo restrained Dame Valour from her wide draw at barrier seven and she settled down in ninth position while Off The Charts ($4.20) was setting the pace after wresting the early lead from Tubbs Farquhar.
Dame Valour, who put the writing on the wall with a fast-finishing second to Chilli Punter the previous Friday night, looks set for further successes. She now has had 30 starts for nine wins, nine seconds and two thirds for stakes of $80,769.
She is by Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of Brush With Courage, who raced nine times as a two and three-year-old in 2010 for three wins, two placings and $33,895. Brush With Courage also produced Seeryanfly, who earned $127,603 from 14 wins and 15 placings from 55 starts.
“Dame Valour has had a lot of problems, and these might hold her back at the next level,” said De Campo. “I went to make a move at the 700m tonight, but Shannon (Suvaljko) went in front of us with Heez Good As Gold, and this made it easy for us.
“Dame Valour then had good cover (following the three-wide run of Heez Good As Gold) and we were travelling super down the back.”