Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond brought up their fourth winner on the program at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the consistent Aussie Scooter relished a tough run in the breeze before winning the 2503m standing-start Caduceus Club President Trevor Lusty Handicap.
Aussie Scooter, a $5.60 chance, was handled confidently by Kyle Symington, who was having his second drive for the Bond camp. The five-year-old started from the inside of the 10m line and settled down in seventh position.
Symington wasn’t happy to be so far back, with the $4.60 second fancy Arden Velocity setting a moderate early pace, and he seized the initiative by vacating the one-wide position and sending Aussie Scooter forward, three wide, after 650m and moving to the breeze.
The third quarter of the final mile was run in a brisk 27.7sec. and Symington dashed Aussie Scooter to the front with 450m to travel. The final 400m was run in 28.7sec. and Aussie Scooter won by just under a length from Arden Velocity.
Ima Fivestar General was the $2.60 favourite, who ruined his chances by galloping badly at the start and losing almost 20 lengths. With the slow early pace Ima Fivestar General was able to make up most of his lost ground and he moved into third place at the bell, but trapped three wide. He faded in the final stages to finish last.
“I was pretty lucky that there was a false start when it looked like I was going to be trapped on the fence,” said Symington. “I was able to get into the one-wide line after the second start, and I decided to go forward. They weren’t running any quick pace, so I went forward and gave the horse his opportunity.”
Aussie Scooter has been an excellent standing-start performer who now has earned $147,970 from 14 wins and 14 placings from 50 starts.