He may be Tricky but Miki gets the $125,000 Golden Slipper

Emerging star Tricky Miki brilliantly won last night’s $125,000 Golden Slipper Pace (2130m) at Gloucester Park and delivered trainer-reinsman Justin Prentice a second straight victory in the Group 1 feature on Sunday night.

Two-year-old Tricky Miki ($8.50) rated 1:57.7 when scoring by 7.5m from Whataretheodds ($8.70) and $2.10 favourite Youre So Fine finished a close third.

Prentice, who won last year’s Golden Slipper with Mighty Ronaldo, said Tricky Miki had an outstanding future.

“He’s beaten top opposition tonight at only his fourth start,” Prentice said. “He’s not a natural two-year-old and is still green.

“He shapes to be exceptional later. I’ll now spell the horse and give him a chance to mature more.”

Prentice led early with Tricky Miki, after polemarker Swingband ($5.30) galloped at the start and dropped out.

Tricky Miki, owned by a syndicate, then trailed pacemaker Whataretheodds and Youre So Fine coasted in fourth position.

Prentice unleashed Tricky Miki on turning for home and he bounded away.

Earlier, long shot five-year-old Jesse Allwood caused one of WA pacing’s biggest upsets this season when he charged down the outside to win for reinsman Shannon Suvaljko.

The Peter Anderson-trained gelding, starting at $114.30, scored by 2.4m from Pocket The Cash ($5.70) in the Retravision Pace while $1.90 favourite Howard Hughes finished a close third.

Jesse Allwood had a 27-run losing sequence ahead of the race after showing promise and notching eight victories earlier in his career.

“I’m checking on whether I’ve got the right horse,” on-course racing commentator Richard Bell said.

Owner Bob Fowler said yesterday’s win was the drought-breaker he had been expecting.

“The win was a good change of fortune for Jesse Allwood, but not a total surprise to me,” Fowler said.

“I’ve always had a good opinion of the horse. There’s been offers for Jesse Allwood from prospective buyers, but I rejected them.

“A syndicate was leasing him from me before they recently decided to send him back.

“He went to Peter Anderson’s stable, worked well and resumed racing.

“I think Jesse Allwood appreciated his let-up and then a lighter racing schedule he’s been having since a return to me.”

Suvaljko settled Jesse Allwood in seventh position and he sprinted from the 300m to claim Pocket The Cash who had headed Howard on the home turn.

Meanwhile, trainer Gary Hall highly rated Alta Blues after the four-year-old won by 14.5m in the Westside Auto Wholesalers Pace

“He’s just learning to race,” Hall said. “This is my next cups horse. He’s tough and very good. When he leads, they won’t beat him.”

Alta Blues, driven by Hall’s reinsman son Gary Jr, faced the breeze in the Westside.

Former Sydney gelding Blue Blazer won the Westral Pace for trainer Nathan Turvey after racing up to four-wide.

“He’s returned to his best, winning twice in recent weeks,” managing owner Kevin Jeavons said.

“We’ll keep him going with a view to graduating through classes. We bought him in New Zealand and he showed promise on NSW tracks before a transfer here.”

By Ernie Manning for The West Australian