Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred six-year-old Sugar Apple went into the $25,000 Westral Meshlock Security Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with just one placing (a third behind Caberneigh) from his previous ten starts.
But he bounced back to form as a $21.50 chance when Lauren Harper took full advantage of the coveted No. 1 barrier and rated the Lindsay Harper-trained gelding to perfection out in front before drawing away to win by two lengths from Prince Of Pleasure ($4/20), with Im The Black Flash ($2.20 favourite) a well beaten third.
Sugar Apple dashed over the final 400m sections in 28sec. and 28.2sec. and rated 1.56.1.
“We were confident that if he led, he would run 1.56 and prove hard to beat, and he did,” said Lauren Harper. “He crossed easily and won easily.”
Sugar Apple won once in New Zealand, eight times in New South Wales and once in Victoria before arriving in WA where he has a record of 42 starts for five wins and nine placings. His career record stands at 76 starts for 15 wins, 15 placings and stakes of $159,911.
Sugar Apple is by Sweet Lou and is the third foal out of the unraced Maddisons Delight, whose second foal is American Dealer, winner of the 2021 Queensland Derby and boasting a fine record of 116 starts for 30 wins, 35 placings and $858,225 in prizemoney.
American Dealer won once from six starts as a two-year-old in New Zealand before his 12 Australian starts produced three wins and six placings. He then was sold to America where he has had 98 starts for 26 wins and 29 placings.