LIGHTLY raced four-year- old Canam finally broke his maiden status with an emphatic win in a 1000-metre maiden on the Luxbet All-Weather in Devonport on Sunday.
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The Graeme McCulloch-trained gelding settled off the speed from an inside gate while the well-backed Millie Mateba ($4.40) led with rank outsider Peter’s Promise ($151) happy to race on her outside to the home turn.
Canam ($3.20) was poised to pounce at the top of the home straight and when rider Raquel Clark called on the gelded son of Sidereus to extend he quickly collared the leader and went on to win by a half-length with the favourite Divine Strategy ($2.20) a disappointing two lengths away third.
“I am really pleased with this win because he has been knocking on the door for so long and it was just a matter of waiting for the right race and that was today,” McCulloch said.
“He is quite well bred and now that he’s won a maiden I’ll more than likely give him one or two more starts and tip him out for a spell and then bring him back after the summer carnival when the fields aren’t as good.”
Canam had three minor placings before this maiden win for stake earnings of just over $20,000.
Former Victorian galloper Ronaldo’s Goal made a one-act affair of the Magic Millions Maiden-Class 1 over 1880m at only his second start in the state.
The Scott Brunton-trained gelding arrived in the state with good form on provincial tracks over 1600m and based on his encouraging first-up effort in Devonport two weeks earlier punters rallied for the son of Purrealist.
Ronaldo’s Goal was backed in from $4.70 to start the $2.10 favourite and with David Pires aboard he was always travelling like the winner.
Pires settled the five-year-old in fourth place behind the leaders Rialto Jess and outsider Northern Command but when the rider called on his charge to extend he quickly hauled in the leaders and went on to win by almost four lengths.
In-form mare Zigold continued on her winning way to take out a benchmark 72 handicap over 1650m for her fifth win from only 24 starts. Trainer Barry Campbell will spell her and bring her back for a couple of the minor cups during the summer carnival.