Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
There is a surfeit of quality four-year-olds in Western Australia this year and there will be fierce competition for places in the fields for the rich events for this age group in November and December.
One four-year-old who is gaining status as one of the main contenders is Soho Dow Jones, who notched a winning hat-trick and chalked up his eleventh win from 28 starts when he gave an impressive frontrunning display to easily beat Cheer the Major and Goodfellaz in the $30,000 Pure Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven confidently by Mitch Miller, Soho Dow Jones, the $1.70 favourite, rated 1.57.4 over the 2130m journey after dashing over the final 800m in 57.4sec.
“He is a nice enough horse who needs to mature a bit,” said Miller. “He has a very big body and a very big head. But there doesn’t seem to be a lot in the head. However, he is doing the job and will keep getting better. It’s the plan to have him right for the big features at the end of the year (the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship, the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic and the $200,000 Golden Nugget.)
Soho Dow Jones is prepared by astute trainer Kim Prentice, who opted to travel to Wagin on Friday night where he landed a double with Crowd Control and Icy Winds, who were driven by Corey Peterson.
“Gary Elson did us a favour and brought Soho Dow Jones to Gloucester Park,” said Miller. “But Kim now owes Gary $50 because he forgot to pack a bull bit in the gelding’s gear. And the stewards fined Gary $50 for leading Soho Dow Jones without a bull bit.
“As long as Soho Dow Jones pulls up okay, he will go around in a stand next Friday night.” The American Ideal gelding now has earned $104,596 from 11 wins and eight placings from 28 starts.
He is the second foal out of the Art Major mare Soho New York (27 starts for ten wins, four placings and $65,710) whose first foal Soho Sinatra set the pace and won by five lengths from Always Thunder, rating 1.53.9 over 1730m at Bathurst last Wednesday. That was Soho Sinatra’s 16TH win from 84 starts and boosted his earnings to $151,558.