She lured the top price at the 2019 Australasian Premier Trotting Sale and Evas Image is rewarding her owners’ faith, with today’s third career victory propelling her into the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series finals full of confidence.
The Chris Lang trained and driven trotter’s been super consistent and will be joined in the New Year’s Eve spectacular by fellow sales graduate Banglez, who broke her maiden status in the day’s second heat.
The latter win was enjoyed by her on-track owners, a welcome sight for winning reinsman Greg Sugars after a long season in which COVID had previously closed the track to all but participants and essential staff.
“We’ve got a very happy group of owners here today, which is outstanding to see,” Sugars told Trots Vision. “It’s been so long I sort of forgot how much we’ve missed that – to see the happy, smiling faces of owners as we come back in. It’s just outstanding. Just a real pleasing effort all round.”
Banglez, by Majestic Son out of Gypsy Flair, was snapped up for $14,000 at the 2019 trotting sale, but it was the preceding lot 34 that claimed the headlines, with Chris Lang Jnr and Hayley Lang’s filly drawing a sales topping bid of $70,000.
She is by Father Patrick out of Shes An Image, who was a winner of 20 of her 56 starts and $233,824 and a mare who Chris Lang Snr knew well, prompting him to bid on behalf of his “very good clients Richard and Pauline Matthews”.
“She was a little bit more expensive than we thought she would be, but that was much to the breeders’ delight, so I’m sure they’re happy she’s going good,” Lang Snr told Trots Vision after today’s win.
“She’s doing a good job. She’s been knocking on the door all year and obviously after the Vicbred final we will be turning her out, letting her mature a bit more and I’m hoping she comes back bigger and better like her mum did as a three-year-old.”
With today’s victory, Evas Image has already returned $40,290 plus Vicbred bonuses of that initial investment, having placed in every start and won three times from eight outings.
“She’s very reliable as a rule, as far as a two-year-old trotter can be,” Lang said. “I think that she will get better with that run and I’m hoping that New Year’s Eve she will be top of her game.
“She ran second at Breeders Crown coming from 11, was a bit unlucky in some ways, but she ran very good there. A repeat of that’s got to put her among the leading group.”
She won by a half-head from a valiant Sheza Pleasure, who overcame missing the start after breaking gate to run an outstanding second for Kerryn Manning and Dennis Paton, while Silent Reverie, Tipsy Turvy, Meadowvalley Lover and Queen Invasion also advanced from the heat to the December 31 Group 1 final.
Joining them there will be Banglez, who won her way through with a quick dash home that saw the Emma Stewart-trained filly break her maiden status in the second of the class’s heats.
Reinsman Greg Sugars was rapt with Banglez improvement in her fifth career start, having advanced to the breeze mid-race then settled when Senitas Strength emerged and provided cover outside leader Keayang Xena.
Senitas Strength loomed likely in the straight before galloping late, with Banglez hitting the line in a 28.2-second last quarter to salute.
“Today she felt like a different horse, trotted much more fluently,” Sugars said.
“She felt like a much more seasoned racehorse today than what she has in her previous starts. First time we’ve been able to make a mid-race move with her, she didn’t worry about the horses moving around at the start – which has been an issue – and when James (Herbertson on Senitas Strength) came around she didn’t bat an eyelid. She always gave the feeling there was something there.
“She’s obviously only had limited races so far, but she’s shown on a few occasions she’s certainly got her fair share of ability and it’s great to see her put it all together today.”
Also advancing from the second heat were Senitas Strength, Aldebaran Ursula, Visionary, Keayang Xena and Kyvalleyhoneybunny.
