Experienced Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Shane Young is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky when Wonderful To Fly runs in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic next Friday night.
Wonderful To Fly ran an excellent trial for the rich feature event for mares when young drove her to an all-the-way win in the $27,000 Norms Daughter Preview over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Now a six-year-old, Wonderful To Fly finished second to Beyond The Sea in the 2023 Norms Daughter Classic and was a sound third behind Steno and Little Darling in last year’s classic.
She was the $2 favourite on Friday night, and she was untroubled from the No. 1 barrier to set the pace and beat $16 chance Princess Katie by just over a length, rating 1.56.7, with Little Darling ($5.50) finishing strongly from eighth at the bell to be a neck away in third place.
“It would have been suicide if a horse had challenged Wonderful To Fly early,” said Young, who was happy for the mare to amble through the lead time in 37.9sec. and the opening quarter in a slow 31.7sec.
“She got a bit tired at the end but had enough in reserve to hold on and win. The last 1200m (28.6sec., 28.2sec. and 28.1sec.) was pretty solid.
“I would love to win again next week but she will meet much stronger opposition against the likes of Aardiebytheseaside, Penny Black and Little Darling. I know she is capable of giving them a fright if things go her way.
“Much will depend on how the race is run. Wonderful To Fly doesn’t have to lead. At her previous start before Friday night’s race, she went very good as a sit-sprinter when she ran home (over the final 800m) in 54.7sec.”
Wonderful To Fly has been an outstanding performer for Young and his co-owners, having raced 75 times for 33 wins, 21 placings and $854,502 in prizemoney.
Experienced Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Shane Young is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky when Wonderful To Fly runs in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic next Friday night.
Wonderful To Fly ran an excellent trial for the rich feature event for mares when young drove her to an all-the-way win in the $27,000 Norms Daughter Preview over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Now a six-year-old, Wonderful To Fly finished second to Beyond The Sea in the 2023 Norms Daughter Classic and was a sound third behind Steno and Little Darling in last year’s classic.
She was the $2 favourite on Friday night, and she was untroubled from the No. 1 barrier to set the pace and beat $16 chance Princess Katie by just over a length, rating 1.56.7, with Little Darling ($5.50) finishing strongly from eighth at the bell to be a neck away in third place.
“It would have been suicide if a horse had challenged Wonderful To Fly early,” said Young, who was happy for the mare to amble through the lead time in 37.9sec. and the opening quarter in a slow 31.7sec.
“She got a bit tired at the end but had enough in reserve to hold on and win. The last 1200m (28.6sec., 28.2sec. and 28.1sec.) was pretty solid.
“I would love to win again next week but she will meet much stronger opposition against the likes of Aardiebytheseaside, Penny Black and Little Darling. I know she is capable of giving them a fright if things go her way.
“Much will depend on how the race is run. Wonderful To Fly doesn’t have to lead. At her previous start before Friday night’s race, she went very good as a sit-sprinter when she ran home (over the final 800m) in 54.7sec.”
Wonderful To Fly has been an outstanding performer for Young and his co-owners, having raced 75 times for 33 wins, 21 placings and $854,502 in prizemoney.
The final two events on Friday night were for fillies over 1730m, with Im Category Five winning the Gary Hall Junior Pace for two-year-olds, and Captainshavtime winning the event for three-year-olds, with the winners each recording a mile rate of 1.55.9.
Im Category Five, prepared by Colin Brown, was the $1.80 favourite who gave the trainer’s daughter Maddison a torrid time in the sulky by pulling in the breeze. Im Category Five overcame her overracing and won by a length from $71 outsider Shericka, with the Maddison Brown commenting: “She’s got to improve her manners.”
A flying start from barrier seven saw Captainshavtime ($4.50) score an easy all-the-way win over her stablemate Delulu ($9.50), giving trainers Greg and Skye Bond a quinella result and driver Deni Roberts the second leg of double, following the success of the Bond-trained Minstrel earlier in the program.
