Gunna Reload storms home to take out Mares championship Final

Talented mare Gunna Reload (Sweet Lou) made light work of her wide second row draw when she came with a barnstorming finish to take out the Listed $100,000 Mawsons Riverina championships final for four and five year old mares at the Riverina Raceway on Saturday night.

Starting a hot favourite Gunna Reload was eased back by driver Will Rixon. Kate Gath showed great initiative early on when she guided My Little Bo from her wide barrier eight to cross over and lead.

The race was marred when Kimcando broke up and scattered a few of the other runners which included stablemates Peace Out and Smirkin Serene. Cerise Rainbow was caught three wide for nearly a lap before she was able to obtain a trail when Platinum Jewel made a lightning run at the bell to race alongside My Little Bo.

Gunna Reload was still in the back half of the field in the back straight before Rixon started to let her wind up and Smirkin Serene was also trying to negotiate a run. Even so the task looked beyond Gunna Reload but in the home straight she just kept going with a relentless run and out wide she gathered in a gallant My Little Bo by just under five metres with Isla Rochelle in third place after racing behind the leader.

What made Gunna Reload’s run even more impressive was that they covered the third quarter in 27.3 seconds and she was out wide trying to gather in the leaders. Overall she returned a mile rate of 1.53.9.

GUNNA RELOAD 4 APR REPLAY

Driver Will Rixon was full of praise for Gunna Reload’s outstanding effort.

I was content on driving her back as I thought her class would bring her into the race. With the main dangers at the back I hoped to get a tow into it. She was able to show her class at the end.

A couple of horses locked wheels and I had to go a bit wider to get around her. I was confident down the back hoping to get a track into the corner. When the two in front were losing ground, had to go around them so wide and I wasn’t so sure. But it was her will to win that got her home.  She has an amazing action is nice to drive and so well gaited.

Dad thought she couldn’t win on the final corner. She’s a ripper.

Obviously we’ll look at the New South Wales Breeders challenge later in the year. But in the immediate future we’ll look at the Queen Elizabeth stakes. But before that she has to qualify in the Sibelius stakes a fortnight before in mid April. She’s now 120 rated and pretty well there’s no way to hide for her. She seems to be coming back stronger. She definitely will be able to win in the future as she has a great record. With her gait speed she can go 1.50.

 

Gunna Reload has now won her last five starts and throughout her career has always shown the mark of a classy mare running in feature classics. As a two year old she won the New South Wales Breeders Final before finishing second in the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Final.

Then as a three year old she won both heat and final of the Gold Bracelet at Bathurst before triumphing later in the season in heat, semi final and final of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge.

Trained by Peter Rixon Gunna Reload has been well placed in her racing career and now she should make the progression to the mares open class feature races.

 

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink