Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Smart New Zealand-bred mare Montana Glory, unplaced at her five previous outings and having her first start for three weeks, bounced back to her best form when she gave a bold frontrunning display to score an easy victory in the $21,000 Lori Ki Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $3.50 second fancy behind the $1.65 favourite Peaceful and was driven with supreme confidence by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko.
Suvaljko got the Mike Reed-trained Montana Glory away to a flying start from the No. 2 barrier and the five-year-old travelled smoothly in front and after final quarters of 27.5sec. and 28.6sec. she won by just over a length from Peaceful, who began from the outside barrier in the field of nine and worked hard in the breeze.
“She was a lot better this week,” said Suvaljko. “She hadn’t raced for a couple of weeks but her work with Ragazzo Mach has been first-class. She is not really a good trackworker, so I knew she would run a good race.
“She was sweet on the bit and the way she was travelling she was never going to lose from the bell onwards. She has had bad feet, and Mike is now on top of it. I think she will keep improving.”
Montana Glory beat Peaceful by just over a length, with Our Lady Jen ($26) improving from seventh at the bell to be third, a nose ahead of Seagrass ($19).
Montana Glory is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of unraced Mach Three mare Pacific Glory. She has earned $117,084 from seven wins and 12 placings from 31 starts. After one win from seven New Zealand appearances Montana Glory has had 24 starts in Western Australia for six wins and eight placings.