Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Trainer-reinsman Gary Hall Jnr praised Solesseo Matuca after the former Victorian pacer had worked in the breeze before careering away from his seven rivals to score an easy win in the 1730m Steve Waters and Gary Hall Snr Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“For a horse who had been a $1.20 favourite and had led and been beaten twice since coming here, this was sign of quite some improvement,” said Hall.
“I did think that he could do that when leading but I didn’t think he could perform so well after racing in the breeze. So, I’m pretty happy.”
Solesseo Matuca was the $1.80 favourite from barrier three and was beaten for early speed by $12 chance Dominus Factum, who began brilliantly from the No. 7 barrier, and by the polemarker Loucid Dreams ($5).
Dominus Factum set a brisk pace before Hall dashed Solesseo Matuca to the front with 500m to travel. The final 400m sections were covered in 28.4sec. and 28.7sec. and Solesseo Matuca was not extended in beating $81 outsider Acuto by just under two lengths, rating 1.54.3. Acuto finished solidly from sixth at the bell and finished almost a length in front of Loucid Dreams.
Solesseo Matuca, a five-year-old by A Rocknroll Dance, has earned $271,228 from 12 wins and 22 placings from 55 starts. His ten runs in Western Australia have produced two wins and four placings.