Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred pacer Prince Of Pleasure will be a major player in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 10, according to Hall Of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr.
Prince Of Pleasure maintained his excellent form when he began speedily from the No. 4 barrier, set the pace and dashed home over the final 800 metres in 55.8sec. to win the $35,000 Howard Porter Memorial over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I was disappointed when he failed to get a start in the Pacing Cup last January,” said Hall. “In hindsight, he probably wasn’t ready for it. But he is now. He has a chance in any race he’s in, and he has that much speed that it is hard to put pressure on him.
“He looks a bit disappointing at times when he stops a bit, when he’s out wide. In a fast run Cup and racing three back on the pegs he will finish really well.
“Prince Of Pleasure bowed his tendon three times, but since I’ve brought him back, he has gone from strength to strength.” He looks set to improve considerably on his record of 35 starts for 15 wins, eight placings and stakes of $217,727.
Prince Of Pleasure was the $3.30 second favourite behind the veteran Galactic Star, who was well supported and started at $2.90, with most punters predicting he would set the pace from the prized No. 1 barrier and prove hard to beat. But he was unable to hold out Prince Of Pleasure and Deni Roberts had to be content to trail the pacemaker.
Galactic Star fought on gamely to finish second, 2m behind the winner, with the Hall-trained Wildwest finishing solidly to be third after racing in fifth position, three back on the pegs.
The Hall stable’s other two runners were unplaced but far from disgraced. Diego, winner of the WA Pacing Cup last January when he beat Jumpingjackmac, was last on the home turn and finished sixth in the field of eight, while Jumpingjackmac finished in fifth place.
Jumpingjackmac was last at the bell, and he ran home strongly, with Hall Snr declaring that his was the best performance in the race.