Dark Eyes ends losing streak

Victorian-bred pacer Dark Eyes (Bettor’s Delight) broke through for his first win as a four-year-old and ended a losing sequence of 20 when he gave a bold frontrunning display to score an easy harness racing victory in the $27,000 MKR On Seven Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

In an open betting race, Dark Eyes was a $6.70 chance from the favourable No. 2 barrier, and ace reinsman Shannon Suvaljko made the most of this advantage by dashing the Bettors Delight gelding straight to the front.

After a solid lead time of 36.9sec. and comfortable opening quarters of 31sec. and 30.9sec. Dark Eyes gave his rivals little chance of challenging him by sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 28.4sec.

He was not extended in winning by more than two lengths from $5.50 chance Gaitcrasher, with $51 outsider Follow Rocknroll running on from sixth on the pegs at the bell to be a head farther back in third place.

DARK EYES REPLAY

Dark Eyes should have won his past two, and he has been crying out to win,” said Suvaljko. “There wasn’t a breeze horse in the race, so our intention was all-out speed (early) and then this horse comes back to you.

“Once he got that slow half he was never going to get beaten. He works with the good ones and sometimes he beats them, and he won’t be out of it in tougher company.”

Dark Eyes, trained by Mike Reed, is capable of measuring up to contest the rich events for four-year-olds later in the season. He has had 50 starts for eight wins, 14 placings and $104,331. He is out of former star Art Major mare Golden Goddess, who amassed $442,410 in stakes from 17 wins and eight placings from 29 starts.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park