Astute trainer Colin Brown stands by his formula for treating pacers with tendon damage, and his four-year-old gelding Arma Believer is continuing his comeback in fine style.
The future looked bright for Arma Believer when he won a heat of the Pearl Classic for three-year-olds in May 2024 when he defeated the speedy Waverider. But he pulled up with a damaged tendon and was unable to run in the final of the Pearl in which Waverider won from Franco Encore.
Arma Believer was forced out of action for 15 months, and is now delivering the goods in great style, with his six appearances as a four-year-old producing three wins, two seconds and one fourth placing to improve his record to 29 starts for seven wins, 13 placings and $81,505.
Arma Believer, the $1.80 favourite, impressed with his excellent frontrunning display to win the $23,000 Westral Plantation Timber Shutters Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven by Brown’s daughter Maddison, Arma Believer had a comfortable time early in the event before sprinting over the final 800m in 56.2sec. to win by a neck from $91 outsider Cordero, who finished fast along the inside.
“When Arma Believer damaged his tendon, I found a steep hill for him to climb,” explained Colin Brown. “That’s the only way I use to help a horse recover from a tendon injury, getting them to work up on a steep incline.
“So, I took Arma Believer to an agistment property in Westover (south of Boddington and along the Pinjarra to Williams road) where there was a steep hill.
“Many years earlier I did the same thing with Salvation Son after he damaged a tendon, and he recovered and went on to win in Free-For-All company.” Salvation Son raced in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was retired with a record of 60 starts for 19 wins, 14 seconds and six third placings.
Arma Believer is by former star pacer Vincent and is the first foal out of Bettors Delight mare Arma Rich Girl, who was trained and driven by Colin Brown when she had 15 starts in 2017 and 2018 for wins at Pinjarra and Albany, five placings and stakes of $30,124 from 15 starts.
Arma Rich Girl’s elder half-sister Arma Xpress was retired after racing 18 times for twelve wins, one placing and $279,890 in stakes. As a two-year-old Arma Xpress won the group 1 Sales Classic for fillies, the group 1 Golden Slipper, the group 2 Champagne Classic and Westbred Classic and the group 3 Gold Bracelet.
