Star driver Deni Roberts threw caution to the wind when she fired Mad Monday out of the wide barrier No. 8 and the three-year-old surged forward, out three wide, for the first 400m before getting to the front and then setting a brisk pace on his way to winning the 1730m Westral Quality Since 1973 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mad Monday, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, shared favouritism at $3.50 with WA Derby runner-up Captain Stirling, and it was this bold move which paved the way for the Victorian-bred pacer’s one-length victory over Captain Stirling, who was not bustled out from the outside barrier in the field of nine.
After a fast opening 400m section of 28.4sec. Mad Monday relaxed briefly with a second quarter of 29.8sec. before giving his rivals little chance by dashing over the final sections in 28.8sec. and 28.9sec. He rated a smart 1.54.9.
“He earned his win,” said Roberts. “He had to work hard to cross them (at the start) and there was pressure in the middle stages, so he had the chance to throw the towel in at the end, but he toughed it out and showed how much he is shaping as a good horse.
“We have so much talent in the stable that he is a bit below. But he’s trying to step up.”
Mad Monday was bought by Team Bond for $41,000 at the 2023 Melbourne Nutrien yearling sale, and he has now earned $66,741 from six wins and five placings from 19 starts. He is by Vincent and is the fourth foal and only one to have raced out of Victorian mare Richly Deserved, who had 31 starts for three wins and three thirds for stakes of $14,836.
Mad Monday’s win completed a double for the powerful Bond stable, following the success of Golden Lode in the $31,000 Westral Shadetrack Outdoor Blinds Pace.
Golden Lode was a $6.90 chance from the outside of the back line, and it was the clever driving of Stuart McDonald which paved the way for the win.
Golden Lode’s stablemate Tualou ($6.50) burst to the front after 350m, leaving $51 chance High Price in the breeze. Golden Lode settled down in sixth position in the one-wide line before McDonald sent the four-year-old forward after 400m to move to the breeze.
“I thought that I would get through into a decent spot early, but we went better than I expected,” said McDonald. “I knew that the breeze horse didn’t want to be there, so I decided to send Golden Lode to the breeze --- and after that I was able to get one-out, one-back cover when Alta Tribute ($3.10 favourite) got there after a lap.”
Golden Lode dashed to the front 300m from home and went on to win comfortably from Tiger Royal ($41) and Menemsha ($13). “I had a bit of trouble steering Golden Lode, who wanted to get up the track in the back straight, and then on the home corner he wanted to get down, said McDonald.
