Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Cardup trainer Craig Abercromby made a wise decision to buy Gregarmy for $8000 in August 2021.
The big Shadow Play gelding has proved to be a bargain, and he took his earnings for the Abercromby family to $58,487 from nine wins and six seconds from 39 starts when he gave a spirited performance to win first-up at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
At his first appearance for five months Gregarmy was a $9.40 chance from out wide at barrier seven in the 2130m Running Camel Pace in which star young reinsman Kyle Symington gave him the task of racing in the breeze.
Gregarmy settled down in eighth position before Symington dashed him forward to the breeze after 550m. Veteran pacer and $8 chance Master Leighton set a solid pace, and when he was challenged by Tubbs Farquhar ($5.50) in the back straight in the final circuit Symington angled Gregarmy to the pegs at the 400m.
Master Leighton shrugged off Tubbs Farquhar and looked the winner approaching the home turn where Gregarmy got off the pegs and finished determinedly to get up and hit the front five metres from the post and win by a metre from the pacemaker.
It was a race for the oldtimers, with seven-year-old Gregarmy beating eight-year-old Master Leighton and 11-year-old Disco Under Fire, rating 1.56.7.
“Generally, it is not wise to race in the breeze, first-up, but that is Gregarmy’s racing pattern,” said Symington. “He doesn’t like to be held up and he likes to bowl along and sprint home.”
Abercromby bought Gregarmy after the gelding had raced nine times without being placed. “He paid for himself when he won at his first start for us, at Pinjarra,” said Abercromby. “We got the first stake as well as all the bonuses for a WA-bred pacer.”
Gregarmy won by more than five lengths in that 1684m event. He is the third foal out of Little Missmatuity, and the only one to have raced out of that mare who earned $63,900 from six wins and 38 placings from 93 starts.