Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
“She is making claims as the best mare in the State,” declared a proud trainer Michael Young after Eighteen Carat’s dashing victory in the 2130m $30,000 Retravision Pace for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was Eighteen Carat’s second Group 3 success in the space of eight days, following her triumph in the WASBA feature event the previous week.
“I don’t think we have seen the bottom of her,” said Young. “She is leading and winning these races, but I think she has a lot of strength, and I don’t think she has to lead to win. I think she is the real deal.
“She will probably have one more run before having a break and then being freshened up for the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 25.”
All The Bells led for the first 100m before Gary Hall Jnr sent Eighteen Carat, the $1.20 favourite, to the front after starting from barrier five. Eighteen Carat then set a brisk pace and dashed over the final quarters in 29.2sec. and 28.3sec. to win by 7m at a 1.56.9 rate from $11 chance Platinum Sparkle, who finished solidly after enjoying an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position.
Eighteen Carat, a five-year-old New Zealand-bred mare by Mach Three, has raced five times for Young in WA for four wins and a third placing, and now boasts a record of 43 starts for nine wins, seven placings and stakes of $115,331.