Plan B tactics and a mare in season still couldn’t stop Goodtime Heaven from recording a 14th career win in her 25th start in tonight’s Group 3 mares pace.
Driven by Michael Stanley and trained by Courtney Slater, the five-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven mare added the Allied Express The Jane Ellen to her impressive win tally and signalled she’ll be a serious player in the forthcoming Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown.
Stanley was initially eager to advance off the gates but, as he told Trots Vision post-race, the door soon closed.
“Initially I had two fast beginners in front of me, Kualoa isn’t known for her gate speed, she’s generally a little bit tardy out,” Stanley said. “I initially wanted to try and punch through and try if I could get in front of Kualoa, but Anthony Butt (driving Dr Susan) had the same idea and went the inside and we were never going to have that happen.”
With neither Goodtime Heaven nor Dr Susan able to slot in, both retreated while Kualoa advanced three wide early and gradually clawed to the lead ahead of Rock N Roll Chapel.
“So we had to go to plan B and go back,” Stanley said, and then came the second key decision.
“I got back quite quickly and then decided when Anthony come back instead of kicking up underneath him I thought I’ll just hold and let him in here, and make sure I have got a nice horse to get a trail home in.”
A sharp 42.8-second lead time and brisk second (28.2 seconds) and third (28.1 seconds) quarters meant those running on from the back would have their opportunity, and so as Stanley had hoped he was able to get the armchair ride behind Dr Susan on the three-wide train.
When Dr Susan dropped into the one-one, Goodtime Heaven advanced three-wide and she was the toughest mare in the straight, saluting by a neck from No Win No Feed.
“Thankfully the speed was on the whole way, with the way the race was run, with the run we had, it turned out perfectly for her,” Stanley said.
And making it all the more pleasing and things all the more promising for connections, Stanley said there was good reason to think she would only improve.
“She didn’t feel as sharp tonight as she has her previous three runs. She is in season quite badly,” he said. “Out in the warm up she was really tardy, she normally buzzes around really sharp.
“Next time hopefully she comes here she’s not in season and she will be a lot sharper.”
There are certainly key fixtures on the horizon.
The Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown kicks off with the $30,000 Benstud Make Mine Cullen on October 17, continues with the $30,000 Angelique Club Pace on October 23 and concludes with the $100,000 Benstud Queen Of The Pacific on October 31.
