A splendid effort by Ardens Horizon to surge home from last at the bell to win the $27,000 MKR On Seven Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night delighted trainer Craig Hynam and reinsman Callan Suvaljko and left them pondering a campaign for the New Zealand-bred six-year-old aimed at the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on December 12.
“He is good enough to be set for the Cup,” said Suvaljko after Ardens Horizon, a $12 chance, had defeated $51 outsider Lil Happy Fella and Insta Gator ($5.50).
Ardens Horizon now has earned $219,513 from 15 wins and 24 placings from 66 starts after being underrated for most of his career.
The son of Bettors Delight managed just one win and one third placing from ten New Zealand starts before coming to WA where he showed early promise with his fourth placing behind Tricky Miki in the 2022 WA Derby and his fourth behind Jawsoflincoln in the Nights Of Thunder in January 2024.
Ardens Horizon’s win on Friday night was in contrast to his disappointing seventh behind stablemate Illawong Mustang a fortnight earlier. Suvaljko explained that poor effort when he said that the gelding had been affected by “a bit of a bug.”
Friday night’s win completed a double for Hynam and Suvaljko, who had combined to win the opening event, the $21,000 7Plus Pace, with $7.90 chance Louie Lebeau, who failed in a bid to take the early lead from barrier five and then enjoyed a perfect trip in the one-out and one-back position.
Star Lilly, a $7.50 chance, held out Louie Lebeau at the start before setting the pace from the $3.90 favourite Sweet Lucifer in the breeze. Louie Lebeau ran home strongly, out four wide, to get up and snatch victory by a head from Star Lilly, rating 1.55.9 over 1730m.
Louie Lebeau is by American Ideal and is the first foal out of Unlikely Lady. Louie Lebeau was placed once from five starts as a two-year-old in New Zealand in 2021, and he now has a record of 63 starts for seven wins, 29 placings and $99,580 in stakes.
