Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Penny Black, a massive New Zealand-bred mare, gave a sample of her class on Friday night at her first appearance at Gloucester Park with a powerful victory in the $23,000 Smooth FM Perth on Digital Radio Pace.
The $2.70 favourite from the back line in the 2130m event, Penny Black rated 1.56 in notching her sixth win in succession to improve her career record to eleven starts for six wins, two placings and $50,648.
She has a bright future, according to her trainer Michael Young, who said: “She is a big girl, a big truck with a big petrol tank. She is also a nice mover who takes a huge 66-inch hopple, something which is unheard of, and she wears an open bridle and has no head check.”
Penny Black was driven aggressively by Shannon Suvaljko, who allowed her to settle down in tenth position before sending her forward, with a three-wide burst after 600m to quickly move to the breeze outside the pacemaker Dame Valour, the $3.70 second favourite.
“Michael was a bit worried about her racing for the first time at Gloucester Park, but she handled the track without any problems,” said Suvaljko. “I drove her at Pinjarra when she won two starts earlier, and she never gives in. She can reel off quarters of 28, 28 and 28, and she goes faster on the line than she does down the back.”
Penny Black charged into the lead 480m from home and won by just over a length from the $4.40 chance Little Darling, who fought on gamely after making an unsuccessful challenge for the early lead and then gaining an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position.
Penny Black is by Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of the unraced Rocknroll Hanover mare Tessa Rocks. Young is planning to give Penny Black her next start in an event for mares next Friday week.