Raklou victorious – But major issue threatens progress

Speedy four-year-old mare Raklou (Sweet Lou) scored an easy harness racing victory in the Heather Halford-Black Flag Girl Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but her future is uncertain because of a seemingly incurable habit of hanging inwards in her races.

A winner at four of her 16 starts in New Zealand, Raklou has raced three times in WA for trainer Gary Hall snr for a first-up third and two wins.

Raklou was a hot $1.20 favourite in Friday night’s 2130m event, in which she began from barrier four and settled down in fourth place before Gary Hall jnr switched her three wide after 500m to dash to the front 150m later. She went on to win by two lengths from $34 chance The Wand Waver, rating 1.56.1.

“She hangs on the bends, but has a pretty good motor,” said Hall jnr. “She still hangs when she leads, so you’ve got to get up and rolling. Her future is limited unless we can fix her problem, which I doubt.

“Raklou has the big spreaders on, a pole and a Murphy blind. She still hits her knees and if she didn’t have the spreaders on, she would gallop on every bend. She will go only so far when she meets the better ones, and that’s a shame.

“I’m not sure there is anything more we can do. She is no orphan; there are plenty like her.” Raklou has raced 19 times for six wins, six placings and stakes of $78,492.

RAKLOU REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park