Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A change of environment has worked wonders for veteran pacer Machlani, who revealed unexpected gate speed to set the pace and score a runaway victory in the 2130m WA Hall Of Fame Submissions Now Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The eight-year-old was having his sixth start in the space of five weeks for his new trainer Giles Inwood, and he was a $7.50 chance from barrier four, with the $2.20 favourite The Kraken generally expected to set the pace from the No. 1 barrier.
But Machlani proved too fast for The Kraken and dashed to an early lead for in-form reinsman Chris Voak. Machlani sprinted over the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 27.5sec. and won by almost four lengths from The Kraken, who battled on after trailing the pacemaker throughout.
Machlani, who rated 1.56.9, ended a losing sequence of 30 and broke a 17-month drought. He put the writing on the wall as a $126 outsider when he surged home from the rear to finish third behind Showpony and High Price the previous Friday night.
“I wasn’t super keen about his chances tonight,” said Inwood. “I didn’t think he would lead. But Christopher (Voak) is in form, and he was able to find the front, which is the place to be at Gloucester Park.
“His past couple of runs have been pretty impressive, and he has turned the corner. I have had him for just over a month and the change of environment has helped him. I took him to the beach at Naval Base this week for the first time and rode him, wading in the water. Maybe that helped him.”
Machlani has earned $125,652 from 12 wins and 32 placings from 120 starts. He is by Mach Three and is the fourth foal out of the Million To One mare Leilani Lombo, who had 23 starts for ten wins, six placings and $224,595. Her major success was in the Group 1 APG final for two-year-old fillies at Albion Park in April 2020.